we expected to see in them a powerful vindication of the doctrine of endless punishment, and also his statements and comments reconciled with it. But we were entirely disappointed. If Mr. Stuart can reconcile them, we shall confess it to be one of the most extraordinary things we have ever seen accomplished. Want of time, can not now be pled as an excuse, for he finds time to write books on far less important subjects. Why not then,'make one mighty effort, to refute 'the widely spread belief of universal salvation? Stay its progress now, or the United States, the whole world must be filled with this doctrine. Let the reader judge, if Mr. Stuart's statements discussed in the following pages, are not admirably calculated to promote its progress.

Respecting the following letters it is proper to apprise the reader of the following circumstances. 1. When published in the Universalist Magazine, no dates were affixed to them, the one sent by mail to Mr. Stuart excepted. They are now dated according to the time in which they appeared in the Magazine.

2. All the letters, and also Mr. Stuart's note in reply, are given in their regular order, without note, alteration, or addition. We should have preferred making some slight alterations and some considerable additions. But, as it might lead some to say, we had altered the letters, we give them as they appeared in the Magazine, merely correcting the errors of the press, and substituting our own proper name for the fictitous one, 'An Inquirer after truth.'

3. We have added a number of concluding remarks

founded on some other parts of Mr. Stuart's Letters We were not aware until we gave them another perusal, that he had said so many things in favor of universal salvation. The candid reader, we think, will consider the concluding remarks a valuable addition to the letters. WALTER BAlfour.

Charlestown, July 29, 1833.

LETTER I.

TO MOSES STUART,`

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF SACRED LITERATURE IN THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, AT ANDOVER, MASS.

January 29, 1820.

SIR, I have read your letters to Mr. Channing. It is not my object to interfere in the controversy between you, but to call your attention to one thing in them, which is not likely to be noticed by your opponents, but which struck my mind with great force while reading them. As the paragraph, is not very long on which I wish to remark I shall quote it. In your third edition, proving that divine honors and worship, are ascribed to Christ, you have the following quotations from scripture, and observations.

'Phillip, ii: 10, 11, That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.' Things in heaven, earth, and under the earth, is a common periphrasis of the Hebrew and New

Testament writers, for the Universe; (ta pan or ta panta.) What can be meant by things in heaven, i. e. beings in heaven, bowing the knee to Jesus, if spiritual worship be not meant? What other worship can heaven render? And if the worship of Christ in heaven be spiritual should not that of others, who ought to be in temper united with them, be spiritual also? Rev. v: 8 -14, And when he (i. e. Christ, see ver. 6, 7,) took the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sung a new song, saying, thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld and heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for

ever and ever.

And the four beasts said Amen.. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth forever and ever." If this be not spiritual worship-and if Christ be not the object of it here; I am unable to produce a case, where worship can be called spiritual and divine.' pp. 100-103.

Such Sir, are the scriptures you have quoted, and such are the comments you have given, and this is the paragraph, which arrested my attention. Upon reading it, the following ideas rushed into my mind with much violence. Things in heaven, earth, and under the earth is a periphrasis for the universe; this universe worships Christ with spiritual and divine worship, and yet Mr. Stuart believes that many in this very universe, are to be punished in hell for ever. I paused, and concluded, that I certainly must have read or understood you wrong. I returned, and read with careful attention, the whole division of your subject, in which the above quotation occurs, but found to my surprise I had not. After repeated perusals of it, and after much reflection upon it, I am constrained to think, that you either are, or ought to be, a Universalist. Sure I am, that nothing which I have ever read or heard, in so few words, so conclusively establishes the doctrine of universal salvation. Having received the impression, from reading your letters, that you are a candid, honest man, it has led me thus to address you. I cannot suffer myself to think, that you secretly believe all will finally be saved,