ual pharmacology to get out some remedy, some curative that shall effectually remove this terrible plague from the world, which is spreading with such fearful rapidity over all the face of the earth. And yet it rages! I have taken repeated doses of this celebrated "Antidote," and the dreadful disease of Universalism still retains its firm hold upon me. I have never known one cured by it yet, or that it ever checked the progress of the disease in any one instance. True, we frequently hear the shout go up in one place that Universalism is fast yielding to the powerful and many Antidotes administered-in an other that it is "breathing its last," in an other, that it is actually "dead,” the scourge is removed-and that over all the country it is fast going down to merited oblivion. But this is a false hope-a dream of the fancy. And notwithstanding all the professedly curative properties discovered in modern theological science, are combined in this one "Antidote," and all the skill of spiritual physicians has been called out to add to it the most sovereign efficacy-still Universalism increases, affecting deeply whole communities, even where the "Antidote" has been faithfully administered. Therefore, I purpose to analyze this "Antidote," and show how much there is of real value in it, and how far it is adapted to the cure of what is supposed to be the most fatal of all the diseases that infect our race, namely, Universalism.

You will bear with me while I attend to some impor

tant preliminaries, before I enter directly and fully upon this labor before me.

To meet with an opponent and dispute with him on the various points of theology which divide community, is not always associated with pleasure, nor attended with exclusively good results. Because, let a man be ever so cautious in the choice of language, and mild in his communication, it is almost if not quite impossible to speak against another's views with the design of exposing his errors, and not offend. Hence I am not insensible to the fact, that in examining this pamphlet― in exposing its sophistry, correcting its misrepresentations, and exploding its errors, I may injure the feelings and increase the hostility of some who hear, notwithstanding all my best endeavors to the contrary.For it is a trite and common saying, that "nothing cuts like the truth." Even the meek Son of God, with all the benevolence, kindness, compassion and mildness with which his soul was inspired—even he, while exposing the errors of the doctrine and practices of the Jews, received renewed insult, the hostility of his enemies became increased, insomuch that they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him."

I do not expect, my hearers, to be literally "crucified before you," but I do expect to give my body in sacrifice voluntarily for the defense and promotion of Truth's holy cause, let bigots frown, and prejudiced opposers pre-judge and condemn as their uncharitableness may

dictate. One thing I wish you to remember, and not lose sight of, while I proceed with the task before me, that it is just as unkind and unchristian for my opponent to abuse me and misrepresent my opinions, as it is for me to abuse him and misrepresent his opinions.

Feeling myself unkindly treated, and my views most grossly misrepresented by the author whose production I am about to review, you will not think it strange if I manifest much earnestness and use great plainness of speech, just as you would do if I were to treat you unkindly and misrepresent your doctrinal views. Let charity, then, measure to you the same amount of forbearance that it would measure to me.

That I may not be misunderstood, and be supposed to misjudge when I refer to the abuse and misrepresentation of this author, I will quote some of his language, found on different pages of his pamphlet. He says on page 95, "These men [viz. Universalists,] as a general thing, do not pretend to know any thing about experimental religion." Supposing I retort by saying, the Baptists, "as a general thing, do not pretend to know any thing about experimental religion." Would Mr. Stearns receive this charge kindly and as a mark of christian kindness in me? Would he not unhesitatingly pronounce it an unqualified slander? Yes, and correctly too. But the charge against us as a people, is as false and unjustifiable, as the charge against them. Again-on the same page, he says with unwarrantable

arrogance and assumption, that "We are sure of one thing the Lord has never called them to administer his word and the ordinances of his house. They have no authority to pretend to preach the gospel of Christ.They possess not one characteristic of ministers of the New Testament. They are ignorant of the gospel, and therefore, not qualified to teach its sacred mysteries." This is a most sweeping denunciation indeed. Supposing I should throw back this censure--this wholesale condemnation upon the head of Mr. Stearns and the whole Baptist denomination to which he belongs-would he say that I was actuated by the spirit of brotherly kindness? Would he not rather say he had received unmerited abuse, such as could not have come from a true disciple of Christ? Let him not blame us then for thinking the same of him and his censure.

He says again, "As a people they are stupid, careless, prayerless, have no fear of God before their eyes; and are ignorant of the nature of sin and of the plague of their own hearts." This partakes of the same spirit and is equally false with the foregoing. He says, that, Universalists reiterate the same falsehood taught by satan to our first parents-" the first falsehood ever uttered in the world-they deny the truth, as false teachers always do." He says they are the followers of satan; their "scheme was invented by satan," that they are falsehood-tellers, deceivers, hypocrites, wishing to "retain the name of being religious," while for the

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most part they care nothing about religion. "They are a deluded people, whom the god of this world hath blinded who are taken captive by him at his will: who wrest the Scriptures unto their own destruction." And much more 1 might quote to the same effect, partaking of the same spirit, and all coming from a man who in the preface to his book said that "the errors of Universalism must be met with the words which the Holy Ghost teacheth-with the sword of the Spirit," and that "this is the weapon he intended to use in his pages." How much of the teaching of the Holy Ghost and of the Spirit, are manifest in the foregoing quotations, judge ye. It appears to me he must have possessed more of that spirit of bigotry and intolerance which was cherished by the Jews while persecuting the early christians. Concerning their conduct towards the christians, Justin Martyr, a christian writer who liv ed about A. D. 150, says, that, "The Jews not.

only cursed them in their synagogues, but they sent out chosen men from Jerusalem to acquaint the world, and particularly the Jews every where, that the christians were an atheistical and wicked sect, which should be detested and abhorred by all mankind." Whether Mr. S. is one of the "chosen men sent out," for a similar work against Universalists, I leave for you to decide. One thing is certain, like the Nazarenes of old, we are "every where spoken against." And it is equally evident that our author wishes to represent us a very