Transcriber's Note: Small capitals have been rendered in full capitals. Italics are indicated by _underscores_. Apparent typographical errors and inconsistent hyphenation have been corrected. Footnote 4 is missing, while Footnotes 5 and 6 identical. The first line of the text accompanying an illustration comprises the signature of the person portrayed. Any attributions are reproduced in following lines. Chapters XI to XIX comprise biographical notes on Universalist ministers. These are separated by two spaces. FIFTY NOTABLE YEARS. "And I saw that there was an Ocean of Darkness and Death; but an infinite Ocean of Light and Love flowed over the Ocean of Darkness; and in that I saw the infinite Love of God."--GEORGE FOX'S JOURNAL. "Universalism was the evening star of the church as the night of the dark ages came on, and appeared as the morning star at the dawn of the Reformation."--THOMAS WHITTEMORE, D. D. [Illustration: Hosea Ballou. Painted by H. Pratt. Engd. by J. Andrews & H. W. Smith.] FIFTY NOTABLE YEARS VIEWS OF THE MINISTRY OF CHRISTIAN UNIVERSALISM _DURING THE LAST HALF-CENTURY_. WITH Biographical Sketches. BY JOHN G. ADAMS, D. D. ILLUSTRATED WITH PORTRAITS. BOSTON: UNIVERSALIST PUBLISHING HOUSE. 1882. _Copyright, 1882_, BY UNIVERSALIST PUBLISHING HOUSE. UNIVERSITY PRESS: JOHN WILSON AND SON, CAMBRIDGE. PREFACE. Every intelligent reader of that expressive line of Longfellow, "Let the dead past bury its dead," understands that if "the _dead_ past" may be buried, as it deserves to be, the _living_ past will be remembered, recorded, celebrated, honored in all time to come. It is well, always, that we have our eyes open to this fact. Among the many voices heard in the discussions going on in the religious world during the last half-century, has been that of Christian Universalism. It is still speaking more emphatically and widely than ever. A brief and comprehensive notice of its manifestations is surely worthy of consideration at the present time. It is the intent of this volume to keep in sacred remembrance some of the preachers and defenders of the Gospel of God's impartial grace, who in times when it was frowned upon and misrepresented in and out of the churches, had the Christian courage and loyalty to avow and maintain it. They have made the past not "dead," but gloriously alive in their faith and works. In addition to the biographical sketches here given, other kindred matter of interest to the general reader will be presented, such as the rise and progress of the Universalist church in America; its growth in agreement with the genius and civilization of our republic; its place in the reformatory work of the last fifty years; its present status; its educational resources and aspects; its definite organized work; its missionary spirit and intent, with an outlook into the future.