A Series of Letters, in Defence of Divine Revelation: In Reply to Rev. Abner Kneeland's Serious Inquiry into the Authenticity of the Same. To Which is Added, a Religious Correspondence, Between the Rev. Hosea Ballou, and the Rev. Dr. Joseph Buckminster and Rev. Joseph Walton, Pastors of Congregational Churches in Portsmouth, N. H.Ballou, Hosea
Religion
A Series of Letters, in Defence of Divine Revelation: In Reply to Rev. Abner Kneeland's Serious Inquiry into the Authenticity of the Same. To Which is Added, a Religious Correspondence, Between the Rev. Hosea Ballou, and the Rev. Dr. Joseph Buckminster and Rev. Joseph Walton, Pastors of Congregational Churches in Portsmouth, N. H.
Ballou, Hosea
Revelation; Universalism -- Doctrines
People now are waked up; many believe the reports; thousands
are flocking from place to place to hear this man and to see his
miracles. In this case who would be most likely to place themselves
very near to this pretender? Who would one expect to find near his
person? Answer, some of the Trinitarians; chosen ones too; men of
sound judgment, and who could be depended on as able to detect any
fraud. How long is it reasonable to suppose these pretensions could
possibly continue with any success? It may be asked likewise, whether
all honest, reasonable, and candid Unitarians would not express their
abhorrence of such pretensions? Are you, sir, of opinion that such a
fraud could possibly be managed in a way to insure success? A moment's
reflection is sufficient to put the question to rest.
But we will still pursue our supposition. The Trinitarians enter a
complaint against this teacher, to the authorities, alleging that he
is guilty of treason; he is arrested, convicted, and publicly
executed. At the time of his arrest his disciples all forsake him, and
one being found near him denies that he knows the man. All is over
now, and people go about their common avocations; once in a while a
word or two may be dropped on the subject of the impostor, but the
thing is dying away, till all at once the twelve disciples of him who
was executed came boldly before the public and proclaim the
resurrection of their leader, charge the rulers of the people of
having murdered him, and declare that God has raised him from the
dead, and appointed them to be witness of this to the people, and to
preach Unitarianism. What would be thought of these men? Would the
doctrine of the divine unity be likely to triumph over its opposite,
the Trinity, by the preaching of the twelve? Would there be any
attention paid to these men, except by authority, to disperse them and
cause them to desist from such madness, and go about some honest
business? But now they pretend to work miracles in confirmation of the
truth of the resurrection! Enough. Suppose, sir, I should tell you
that I believe such pretensions might be so managed as to succeed
completely, would you not reply, that the success of such pretensions
being altogether a fraud, would itself be as great a miracle as is
recorded in scripture, with the addition of absurdity? You will
remember that you suggested that it would require a miracle to
dissuade me from my belief; and I hope you will see that you must
believe in a miracle in order not to believe with me!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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