Loading your reading…

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.

Name: 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.
Author: Ballou, Hosea

Ballou, Hosea

Revelation; Universalism -- Doctrines

On the subjects of your doubts, you recollected my request, that you
bring forward your reasons, &c. But in room of doing this you inform
me that your doubts are _involuntary_. But I wish to know if this
renders it improper for you to state your reasons for doubting? You
further inform me that your doubts do not amount to a confirmed
unbelief. Again, I would ask if it be necessary for you to wait until
you are a confirmed unbeliever before you state your reasons for
doubting the truth of the testimony which Christians call divine?

By these questions you will perceive that I am waiting for you, and if
I am not able to meet your arguments, I am ready on making the
discovery, to acknowledge your reasoning too strong for my weak powers
to manage.

Yours, &c.

H. BALLOU.

       *       *       *       *       *

EXTRACTS No. V.

[After acknowledging the receipt of _Letters_ Nos. 3 and 4, and
remarking on several parts of the reply to _Extracts_ No. 2, making
some concessions, &c. as he found it necessary, the _objector_
proceeds as follows.]

"But, your final conclusion, after all, comes so near what I conceive
to be the truth, that, were you as correct in every thing as you
appear to be in this, I should hardly think it expedient to pursue
this controversy any further. "The Christian is enabled," you say, "to
hope for existence with God in an eternal state, and this is as much
as our present welfare requires." Most excellent! To this proposition
I cherfully assent. Yea, I would consent even to pruning it a little,
which no doubt would spoil it in your view. Instead of 'this is as
much as,' read, 'even this is more than,' and your proposition would
stand exactly right. Again, you say,

"'I have many reasons for not believing in the general sentiment that
supposes the revelation contained in the scriptures was designed to
prepare men in this world for happiness in another, and that a want of
a correct knowledge of this revelation here, would subject the
ignorant to inconvenience in a future state. Such a sentiment is an
impeachment of the wisdom and goodness of God.'

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

No reviews yet