Fifty Notable Years: Views of the Ministry of Christian Universalism During the Last Half-Century; with Biographical SketchesAdams, John G. (John Greenleaf)
Religion
Fifty Notable Years: Views of the Ministry of Christian Universalism During the Last Half-Century; with Biographical Sketches
Adams, John G. (John Greenleaf)
Universalism; Universalist Church -- Biography; Universalists -- Biography; Universalists -- United States -- History
Another conclusion which inquirers reach is that of the indefiniteness
in which this question of the ultimate results of the Divine
government is involved. As though, on a subject of such unspeakable
interest as this to every mortal, there could be indefiniteness in a
Revelation involving the truth of man's origin, duty, and destiny! Why
not indefiniteness in this Revelation as to the being of a God and his
attributes, as to man's whole duty, as to the objects of Christ's
mission, as to the immortal existence of _any_ souls? No! the eminent
Christian apostle will teach us all better, as he does in his lofty
assurance of the extent of God's claims on his children and his
paternal interest in them: "For I am persuaded that neither death nor
life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present,
nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord."[64] Everlasting thanks to heaven for the definiteness
respecting this great question, which the advocates of Christian
Universalism have constantly maintained. These hesitancies, haltings,
evasions, policies, will have their day, and through them and after
them the truth of the Gospel will find its open avowal and
vindication. Here is the prophecy, years since made by one of the
ablest and worthiest of Christian ministers. "Whoso readeth, let him
understand."
"A few generations more, and the system you have advocated will be
among the things that are only remembered. You will abandon it, but
by degrees; as the truth increases you will begin by first exploding
the old notion that infants are damned, and by avowing the salvation
of all who die in early life. Then you will proceed to reject so
much of your doctrine as to allow that a very small part of mankind,
here and there an individual, will be sent to hell. And continuing
the work, you will at length determine that even these will there
suffer no other pain than the remorse of conscience; next, that
their remorse will be no greater, in degree, than what is
experienced in this world. And finally you will give up the
remainder, first, in confidential whispers among yourselves, and
then, after the common people shall have generally led the way, you
will come out boldly, and preach God as the Father of all and the
Saviour of all."[65]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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