USA > Ohio > Twenty-five years in the West > Part 22
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Saith the great apostle, "We both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe." I Tim. iv. 10. Jews and Gentiles denied that God is " the Savior of all men," and denounced Paul for such a faith, hope and trust. It was absurd, profane, blasphe- mous to entertain such a faith, and the apostle paid dear for it. He endured reproach, hardship and persecution. He fought with beasts at Ephesus. "Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was F beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep ; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of rob- bers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren. In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness."
This was the labor and reproach he endured for "trusting in God as the Savior of all men; " and ever since Paul's day, it has been, in this wicked world, a matter of reproach to trust in God as the Savior of all.
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Popes, bishops, priests, councils, and synods, have, time and again, called it infidelity, and hurled their bulls at those who entertained that simple faith. But thank God, it still lives in the hearts of thousands, as a perpetual joy.
During the debate, and after, all the Orthodox guns in the neighborhood were fired at the Faith. Every evening, during the discussion, one or two sermons were offered in aid of Elder Johnson's cause; and on the Sunday following, the preachers generally discharged their heaviest artillery in that direction. I preached on Sunday, and did not deem it necessary to refer to the discussion, but delivered a practical discourse, and at the close organ- ized a church.
About this time I had a discussion in White Hall, Ill., with Mr. Davies, a Methodist minister, which was to have continued four days, but Mr. Davies being taken sick, it closed on the evening of the third day. He charged our people with infidelity because we reject the Trinity, and believe God is one - not three. I replied :
I read revelation in the light of the seven golden candlesticks, all trimmed and burning, and there I find it recorded that there is one God, whose name and nature is love, that he is our Father, that we are all brethren, and that it is our duty and destiny to love and serve him forever. Now, those who read that book by dim tapers, and through smoked glasses, find fault with us. Their darkness comprehends us not, and they cry at the top of their voices, infidelity. This has been the cry the past two days. A blind man, spiritually I mean, once proposed to debate publicly with me that this faith is no better than infidelity ; and a paper I was reading recent-
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ly said that Christians, in discussing with us, should take the ground that we are infidels, and this faith infidelity. It is lamentable that so many bearing the Christian name have so far departed from the faith that they brand all with infidelity who subscribe to the first command- ment in the decalogue - " Thou shalt have no other God beside me." It does not say us or we. The Bible is full of such infidelity. Seventeen times in the New Testament, God is styled one and only one - three hundred and twenty times he is styled God absolutely by way of eminence and supremacy-one hundred and five times he is styled God, with particularly high titles and attributes- ninety times it is said all prayer and praise should be offered to Him - three hundred times it is said directly, or indirectly, that Jesus derived his being, power and glory from God, therefore he cannot be God- thirteen hundred times the word, God, occurs, and always means a oneness - and in the Old Testa- ment, two thousand times the oneness of God is clearly stated, or distinctly implied, making in all four thousand one hundred and thirty-two places in which it is asserted directly, or indirectly, that God is one-not three. If we are infidels, in denying the Trinity, and believing in the oneness of God, the Bible is an infidel publication. Faith in God as one, instead of being infidel, relieves the mind of the worshipers of the confusion they sometimes experience who believe in a trinity of Gods. Their . thoughts are apt to pass from one to the other in their devotions, and they are sometimes at a loss which of the three to pay their vows to. A river to be deep and strong, must flow in one channel. So our devotions to be deep and strong, must center on one being to whom we must ascribe all praise, all glory, all power.
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Jesus said, we cannot serve two masters; neither can we serve three. and the principle applies to worship as well as to earth-service. There is no infidelity, then, in believing in one God, in worshiping one God. But that person, though, is half infidel, who believes in one God, but does not worship him in spirit and in truth. There is much of such infidelity in the world. It abounds in our churches as well as out of them.
But in devoutly believing in one God, we do not deny Christ or ignore the Divine Spirit. Jesus is the Son of God, and the Spirit is the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth that God pours into the longing soul. God is the Father, Christ is the Son, and the Spirit is a principle, not a person. If this is infidelity, the Bible is full of just such, and multitudes of the most devout men and women that ever lived were and are infidels. This is a comprehen- sible faith, something we can lay hold of, and bind to our hearts.
My opponent delighted in discussion. It was his meat and drink. He said he had rather debate with a Uni- versalist than eat dinner when hungry. His wife told me, Mr. Davies thought it was his mission to fight Univer- salism. He had had several debates with our ministers, and was always very abusive, but in this discussion he behaved very well. The excitement of the occasion, though, almost killed him; he had to be carried out of the house, and I was fearful he would die. That discus- sion ended his " mission ; " he has not had a debate with any of us since. We now have a fine meeting-house near White Hall.
CHAPTER XVII.
In the spring of 1864 I resolved to move to Chicago, and publish the Magazine in that city. The war was still raging, and appearances indicated its long continu- ance. Could do nothing in Missouri, and most of my subscribers were nearer Chicago than St. Louis. Accord- ingly, in May of said year, we bid adieu to the city that had been our home for many years, and took up our abode in the " Garden City " of the West. I had been there but once since 1840, and what a change had taken place ! Its population at the present time, 1873, is about three hundred and fifty thousand. In 1840 it numbered . some six thousand souls. And it will, doubtless, continue to make rapid strides in its onward march. Its lake nav- igation almost connecting it with the Atlantic ocean ; its railroads extending in all. directions through the most productive agricultural region of the world, must con- centrate immense wealth and business in Chicago.
Our denomination has three churches in Chicago - St. Paul, Church of the Redeemer, Murray Chapel. Dr. W. H. Ryder is pastor of St. Paul, Dr. J. E. Forrester of the Church of the Redeemer, Murray Chapel, at the present time, is without a pastor. There is also a denom- inational weekly, the New Covenant, published here, edited by J. W. Hanson. It is a useful paper and has an extensive circulation.
Soon after moving to Chicago, I had an oral discussion
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in Pontiac, Ill., with Elder Brooks, on Endless Misery and Universal Salvation. In one of my speeches, I remarked :
The apostle Paul was certainly a believer in the resti- tution of all things. Some of his statements are remark- ably lucid, comprehensive, and weighty. Take, for in- stance, the fifth chapter to the Romans.
I. In the eighteenth verse he says: " Therefore, as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to con- demnation ; even so, by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." What is this " free gift " to all men ? Answer : "The gift of God is eternal life." Rom. vi. 23. Eternal life, then, is given, made sure, to all men. Not to one here and there ; to this sect or that sect; this nation or that nation; but to ALL MEN. Let this be remembered.
2. In the next verse of said chapter, he continues: "For as by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners; so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." By "many" here he means the same as by " all men " in the preceding verse, the terms being varied to avoid tautology. Parkhurst, in his Greek Lexicon says, " The word many in this verse, signifies the many, that is, the mass, the multitude; the whole bulk of man- kind." Dr. Macknight, a Presbyterian critic, writes, " For as the word many in the first part of the verse, does not mean some part of mankind only, but all mankind, from first to last, who without exception are constituted sinners ; so the many, in the latter part of the verse, who are said to be constituted righteous through the obedience of Christ, must mean all mankind, from the beginning to the end of the world, without exception." The statement of the apostle is this - all mankind are sinners, and all
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mankind shall be righteous. Can universal salvation be expressed in clearer terms ?
3. He continues his argument : " Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound ; and as sin hath reigned unto death, even so, might grace reign through righteous- ness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord." Verses 20, 21. Sin abounds universally, but grace is much more to abound. The grace of God is not only to abolish sin, but to bless all forever and ever. But how can grace abound more than sin, if millions of mankind will be victims of sin eternally ? Will the grace of God, result- ing in eternal life, abound with the damned ? A valuable building is on fire; the fire abounds in every part from base to atic. The engines rush to the spot and pour water all over the building, and extinguish the devour- ing flames. In this case, where fire abounded, water much more abounds. But if the water failed to extinguish the fire in one-half of the building, would water abound more than fire ? So, if the grace of God puts out the fires of sin in only half of the universe, will grace abound more than sin? How is that, Elder Brooks ?
4. The whole creation to be delivered. " For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope ; because the creature itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God." Rom. viii. 20, 21. The word "crea- ture," here means mankind; the Greek whence it is taken, is rendered " creation " in the twenty- second verse. The phrase " every creature," in the commission of Christ to his apostles, is from the same term: "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark xvi. 15. Dr. Macknight and others tell us, that
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the original signifies, "every human creature ; ALL MANKIND." Dr. Thomas White, of the Episcopal church, translates the text thus : "For THE CREATION was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected it; in hope that THE CREATION IT- SELF also shall be delivered from the bondage of corrup- tion, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God." Mankind, then, are to be delivered from corruption - from moral and physical corruption - into the glorious liberty of the children of God. The apostle says, this universal deliverence SHALL be effected, and I believe him.
5. God will have mercy on all. "For I would not brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceit; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved ; as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob : for this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes : but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are with- out repentance. For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their un- belief : even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out ? For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counsellor ? Or who hath first given to him,
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and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things; to whom be glory forever. Amen." Rom. xi. 25-36. Jews and Gentiles include mankind. The blindness of the Jews is to continue "Till the fulness of the Gentiles be come in," and then " All Israel shall be saved." "For God hath concluded them all - Israelites and Gentiles - in unbelief that he might have mercy on all." Then the apostles adds, " For of him, and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen." No terms can express more forcibly the proposi- tion I affirm on this occasion.
The apostle then adds, "I beseech you therefore by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your rea- sonable duty." He had rehearsed the mercies of God as we have seen. I'. "The free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.". 2. " Many," that is, the mass, all mankind, "shall be made righteous." 3. "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." 4. The whole " creation shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption." 5. God will bring all the Gentiles, and all the Jews, into the kingdom ; will " HAVE MERCY ON ALL ;" " for of him and through him, and to him are ALL THINGS." His next words are, " I beseech you therefore by the MERCIES of God," etc. It is sometimes said by the opposers of Universal Grace, that it is immoral in its influence. But the great apostle beseeches us in con- sideration of its TRUTH, to live holy, godly lives. He does not say, as some have profanely said, " If God's mercy will save the world, we have nothing to do ; let us then eat, drink and be merry; lie, steal, and murder. It is all right; God will save us anyhow." Let every be-
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liever in the boundless mercy of God aim to live right- eously and godly, which is his reasonable duty.
These are the statements of the apostle to the Gentiles concerning the extent of salvation; and no one can state the faith we cherish in clearer, stronger, or more forcible language. That gifted man was certainly a believer in the " Restitution of all things."
Facilities for traveling being excellent from Chicago in all directions, I have journeyed extensively, since residing there. Have preached not only in Illinois, but in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas. Was at work in Kansas and Missouri when Price made his last raid into the latter state. That was in the fall of 1864. Was in Leavenworth when the state militia were called out to resist the invaders. The citi- zens of Kansas expected no mercy at their hands should they enter the state; Leavenworth, especially, would be sure to have feel their wrath. The streets of the city were guarded, and orders issued, to arrest every straggler without a pass. Cannon were mounted on the surrounding hills, and every man who could shoulder a musket was required to report for duty. I was tempted to go, armed and equipped, to the "front," but recol- lecting I had not fired a gun for twenty years, concluded I could not do much execution, and so set my face home- ward. But how to get across the river into Missouri, was the question, as no one was allowed to go over with- out a pass, and I had no pass, and probably could not get one. I, however, rode boldly to the ferry as if on important business, and was passed over without being questioned. When near Weston, was stopped by the picket; but the officer of the day soon coming along, took me to head-quarters, where I obtained a pass to St
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Joseph. Leaving my horse with a kind friend, I went to St. Joseph by rail, thence to the Mississippi river, two hundred miles across the state. Considerable portion of the way being infested with bushwhackers, there were thir- ty soldiers on the train to protect it from those bloody scoundrels. The guard fired on two horsemen, who seemed to be fleeing from the rushing train. Both fell and, as I learned afterward, were killed, and it is sad to reflect were Union men. The conductor thought they were bushwhackers, and that class of fighters were shot down like mad dogs, as they deserved to be. Only a few days before, and a few miles from that spot, Bill Anderson's bloody crew stopped a train, and murdered in cold blood, twenty-one of the passengers. All armed stragglers in that locality, after that terrible crime was perpetrated, were suspiciously regarded. Macon City was alive with business, fifteen hundred soldiers being there, digging ditches, throwing up breastworks, and mak- ing every other necessary preparation to resist an attack, which was daily expected. Went to St. Louis; found the citizens intensely indignant at the way General Ros- ecrans was managing affairs. Half of a general, with the forces at Rosecrans' command would have driven Price out of the state at the beginning of the invasion, when he was yet in the southeast corner of it. But Rosecrans' head being full of whiskey and popery, he let the rebels do about as they pleased. They overran the best portion of the state, and did immense harm.
Spent three weeks between Chicago and Toledo, Ohio. Lectured in many places I had not before visited, and much extended my acquaintance. Had an appointment three miles from Toledo. It was a dismal night, and the road out there was a dismal road. Started after
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dark, on foot and alone, to fill the appointment. The air was cold, the night dark, the rain pouring down in torrents, and their being no sidewalk, and the mud deep, had a disagreeable walk. Arriving at the meeting-house, found it dark, and the door locked; and after shivering in the wet and cold outside one hour, and not a soul joining me, returned whence I came. I suppose no one expected I would be on hand such a night. The next day, on the cars, had the following conversation with a fellow passenger who was an Annihilationist :
A. "I do not believe in eternal punishment. I be- lieve God will destroy the wicked, soul and body, root and branch."
M. " When will he do all that ? "
A. " At the resurrection. Then God will raise saint and sinner, take the righteous to himself, and burn the wicked to ashes."
M. "I congratulate you on the improvement you have made on old Orthodoxy. It is certainly better to burn sinners up than burn them eternally."
A. " I do not believe any one in this world has a spark of immortality in him. We are born mortal, live mortal, and die mortal. Immortality is conditional ; and unless we comply with the conditions, we shall be consumed when the world shall be burned up."
M. "What are the conditions ? "
A. " Faith in Christ, is one of them."
M. "Will all be destroyed save those who exercise faith in Christ? Is that your theory ? "
A. " Yes."
M. "Then nearly all mankind will be burned up. The countless millions who lived before Christ's advent - the good and bad - all consumed in one pile. All
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the Pagans, Mohammedans, and Jews who have lived since his birth will share the same fiery fate."
A. " I did not say all of them would be destroyed."
M. "No other inference can be drawn from your words. You said no one would be blessed with immor- tality and eternal life, who did not have faith in Christ in this world. The child, the idiot, the Pagan, the Mohammedan, all lack faith, and if you are right, destruction is their doom. You are ashamed to admit în so many words so horrid a dogma, but that is your faith."
A. "You do not understand me, and you cannot con- vince the people of White House that all will be saved."
M. "I understand you and your fiery faith perfectly well. The latter is worse than Atheism, for it asserts death to be the end of man, while your creed asserts that nearly all mankind will be raised from the dead on purpose to burn them up. Atheism is a hundred fold better than your theory. It is amazing that a man with the Bible in his hands, and God all round him, can entertain such a terrible theory. You have eyes, but you see not; ears, but hear not; understanding, but understand not. Read the words of truth emblazoned on God's word and works, accept their teachings, and abandon your fiery creed, your worse than atheistical dogma."
Spent one month in the vicinity of the Illinois Central railroad. Went south as far as Du Quoin, about three hundred miles, and lectured in most of the important towns, on and near the road. When in Mattoon and Charleston, the glorious news of the evacuation of Rich- mond, and the surrender of Lee, flashed along the wires. Up went the banners, and loud were the hosannas
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Everybody were in the streets, shaking hands, and with smiling faces. The terrible war was over, the govern- ment was triumphantly sustained, and the soldier boys would soon return. No wonder the people were happy.
I was in Ashley, April 14th. Some one said, " Have you heard the news ?" "What news?" "Mr. Lincoln was murdered last night !" " It cannot be so, it is doubt- less a false report?" But in a few moments, the passen- ger train came down with its engine draped in black. That confirmed the astounding report. As the train neared the depot no one spoke - no one could speak. The people turned homeward with meditative step and down-cast look. All over the land, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, in city and country, where the sad tidings were conveyed, the people were struck dumb. Mr. Lin- coln's character had been tested by the most difficult circumstances, and he had proved himself to be a wise, noble, far-seeing man. Everybody had confidence in him - in his judgment, his uprightness, his patriotism. He was deemed the Savior of his country. No wonder the people were " stricken, smitten and afflicted." And then, the awful news was so different from what had been filling the land with joy unspeakable. "Victory, victory, victory; the enemy is subdued, the country saved." had been the pæan of millions. But now it was death, death, death. The great, the good, the beloved President was murdered, and that, too, in the hour of triumph.
Was at Du Quion the next day, where three men were reported to have said, "Lincoln was served right," and forthwith some soldiers, who were at home on a furlough, started post-haste, and brought them into town.
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They would have been hanged forthwith, had it been proved they dropped those obnoxious words.
Had a discussion in Milford, Ohio, with John S. Sweeney of Chicago, which continued four days. He was pretty well posted on doctrinal points, and did some good work for his cause. The discussion was conducted pleasantly, and I trust profitably to the hearers. He said the Universalist faith is new in the world ; had been entertained but a few years; to which I replied :
The gentleman greatly errs in this matter. The apostle Peter said the " Restitution of all things was spoken by the mouth of all God's holy prophets since the world began." Acts iii. 21. It is old, then, as inspiration. revelation. Far back in the depths of the past, hundred of years before Christ, and outside of the Jewish nation. the " Restitution of all things " was cherished by many of the wise and good. Upper India was doubtless one of the first abodes of mankind after the flood, Noah or some of his children, having settled there. In the sacred books of the early inhabitants of that country, the redemption of all souls is distinctly stated. Buddhism, a sort of Pro- testant Reformation of the old faith of the people, avows the same destiny for mankind. Padmahani, the Son of the Supreme God, made a vow not to return to heaven until all beings should be brought through him to salva- tion. True, they were to pass through many terrible hells - first, a hell of snakes, then came thirty-two principal hells, and then one hundred and twenty minor hells. The road to heaven, according to that old theology, was certainly hard to travel; but I suppose one had better go to heaven through all those hells than not get there at all. The author of the " Friend of India," gives the fol- lowing as the views of many of the present inhabitants of
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