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OF

ALEXANDER HALL'S

"UNIVERSALISM AGAINST ITSELF."

BY G. T. FLANDERS.

STON LIBRARY

NEW-YORK

ZANESVILLE, 0:

1847.

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Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1847, by FLANDERS & EATON, in the Clerk's office of the District Court of Ohio.

E. C. Church, Printer, Zanesville, O.

ÉPISTLE PREFATORY.'

TO REV. ALEXANDER HALL:

Dear Sir-Having finished a Review of your "Universalism against itself," I now feel fully competent to pronounce upon its general merits, and the spirit in which it is executed.

And first, allow me to say, that your book is precisely the kind of production I had reason to expect at your hands; for assuredly your Prospectus gave potent promise of future results!

You will confess, sir, that from an arrogant and illiterate boaster-shameless as hypocrisy, remorseless as a savage, and unscrupulous of ways and means, as human nature well can be I say, you will confess, that from such a sourse, anything very truthful, intelligent, and refined, could not reasonably be expected !-Nor would you, Sir, readily expect a professional gamester to be a very pious and useful member of society; a natural born villain, an upright and honest man; an illiterate country booby, an accomplished scholar: and permit me to say, that in my humble estimation, any one thoroughly acquainted with Alexander Hall, would hardly expect anything from his pen on the subject of Universalism, remarkably truthful, modest, or intelligent! Sir, I am compelled to apply to you the forceable language of Whittier:

go teach as well
Of holy truth from falsehood born!

Of heaven refreshed by airs from hell!
Of virtue nursed by open vice!

Of deamons planting Paradise"

You appear, sir, to have come to your work with a fierce, dark, and egotistical spirit-your mind richly stored with language and images drawn from the most vulgar vocabulary and the lowest walks of society; and like the Strasburg pies, said to be made of livers perturnaturally swollen; the chief excellence of your book

consists in the repulsiveness of its materials, and especially in the uncommon quantity and vileness of its abuse. I have searched through all its pages in vain, for a single expression of kindness; for the least semblence of a benevolent or Christian Spirit: but the truth is, it is vulgar and ill-bred every way, and, what is especially to be regretted, it is addressed to the most vulgar tendencies of the mind. In my opinion, sir, those who sincerely admire modesty, and the Spirit of Jesus of Nazareth, when once acquainted with its pages, would shun its contamination as they would a house with a sign at the door bearing the inscription

"SMALL POX HERE"!!-I confess this is not a very flattering estimate of your labors, but it is the estimate my sense of truth compells me to set upon them!

In the next place, Sir, I have several serious charges to bring against you; which, writhe as you may, beneath the well deserved lash I am now laying upon your impudent sholders, I do not believe you can escape, or will deny. In the first place, Sir, I charge you with the BOMBAST of a clown, and the BOASTING of a coward! And here, Sir, is the proof in the shape of the PROSPECTUS of your boasted book:

PROSPECTUS.

"The author intends publishing a book, next spring, no preventing Providence, of about 300 pages, entitled Universalism Against Itself, wherein that system of faith shall be ČRITICALLY examined and SYSTEMATICALLY DISSECTED; and the dogma of the unconditional holiness and happiness of all mankind shall be UTTERLY DESTROYED and that without remedy. The strongest arguments claimed in support of the doctrine shall be shown to be self-contradictory, and it will be demonstrated that no man can quote the Scriptures generally relied on as favoring Universalism, without virtually renouncing the doctrine. The arguments against it will be SIMPLIFIED and CLASSIFIED, and presented in SUCH A MANNER, that a mere tryo in controversy will be enabled to POUR DOWN upon the HEAD of an opponent, SUCH a volley of arguments as to be IRRESISTIBLY fatal to his

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cause, and which all his powers will not be sufficient to withstand or gainsay. The "Pro and Con of Universalism," the strongest work in its favor now extant, shall be also briefly reviewed and reduced to a BUNDLE OF ABSURDITIES. And FINALLY, as nothing will satisfy the BRA VA DOES of Universalism until their doctrine is finally KILLED TWICE DEAD, and PLUCKED UP BY THE ROOTS; they may expect, THEREFORE, to have it LITERALLY torn up into INCH PIECES, PULVERIZED and SIFTED like WHEAT"!1

I am told, Sir, that there exists another prospectus, intended for circulation in another section, compared to which, this choice morceau of grandiloquence and naked boasting, is no more than a drop to the bucket. But this specimen of your native powers, will in all conscience, satisfy any moderate taste for the valient and the sublime!

But, Sir, I charge you, furthermore, with palpable and undeniable deception with regard to your real sentiments-advocating in the book "Universalism against itself," the doctrine of ENDLESS MISERY, and at the same time believing in the ANNIHILATION of the wicked!!!

This, Sir, is a most grave and important charge:Writing one thing, and at the same time believing another! But, Sir, wince as you may, here is the PROOF; derived directly from preachers of your own sect:

"To whom it may concern:

"I have been requested to state my understading of what Mr. Alex. Hall's views are in reference to the ultimate destiny of the wicked, or finally impenitent portion of mankind. What his views are at present, I cannot say, not having had any conversation with him on the subject lately; but last fall, I understood him to hold, as his own or private opinion, that the wicked or finally impenitent, would or will be destroyed or ANNIHILATED"!! JOEL F. MARTIN.

New Gottingen, May 8, 1847.

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