PREFACE. THE prefatory remarks of any book are designed to express the motives and design of the Author, and to introduce considerations suitable to the better understanding of its contents. It seems therefore desirable, if not indispensable, that the following work should present to the reader succinctly the motives and design of its production. 1. We did not aspire after the applause of men nor seek to clothe our name with literary popularity. To secure these, two things are requisite. The selection of a popular subject, and the display of eminent literary attainments, in order to charm and fascinate the reader with originality, beauty of style and graceful sentences. We were well aware, that the subject chosen would impress no one with novelty, and the manner of its treatment would captivate no one with its peculiar originality, or with its flowing and literary style. Were the Author qualified for the task of displaying vast attainments in literature, profound criticism, iron logic and overwhelming eloquence (to all of which he makes no special pretension,) nevertheless the subject discussed and the peculiar circumstances, as well as the chief object, under which this treatise was written would altogether preclude such aspiration and vanity. The applause of men, we do not anticipate to reap; but rather antipathy and defamation from a certain source; and for literary popularity we have not labored, it being not very essential for usefulness in the kingdom of Christ. 2. Neither have we desired to provoke controversy, nor to display critical discernment, to gratify the vanity of mere conquest. We are not fond of controversy, for if this were a characteristic of our mind, we might have been gratified heretofore upon several occasions in reference to this subject. Whoever lives in the midst of Universalists must pursue a strange course in order to escape every occasion of controversy. We have ever labored with the impression on our mind, that a pitched controversy on this or any other moral question is of doubtful utility-it savors more of mere wrangling than of a sound, candid and conscientiously earnest discussion. However, we would not convey the idea that a thorough discussion from the pulpit of this, or any other question, is always out of place; but we are fully satisfied that a candid and earnest investigation of error before an enlightened audience is obligaiory upon every ambassador of Christ, and is of vital importance to the general character of truth and religion. The style of the following work will challenge no controversy, if the presentation of the truth in contrast with error does not. It is not desirable to excite the irascible and wrangling spirit of man unnecessarily ; but rather to induce to sober, candid, calm and impartial investigation of the relative importance of the claims of truth and error. If the reader wishes to controvert, let him step into the arena of warfare in a prayerful frame of mind with enlightened Reason and the Bible, and not with the author of this book. Mere controversy we do not desire, but a thorough discussion of truth and error we do not disclaim. This is right, desirable and fraught with good. 3. We desire to arrest the spread and deadly influence of error. According to the boasting pretension of Universalists, their sect is rapidly multiplying in numbers, and their religious faith is spreading far and near. However, an exact estimate would doubtless greatly reduce the spread of their faith and the number of adherents, taking into calculation the waning and utter annihilation of Universalism where once it flourished; yet the array of this error is formidable in some parts of the land, and the number of its advocates is numerous. They register and publish about 700 ministers, whose time is spent in vigorous dissemination of their principles, and they issue weekly many pages to prove and defend their faith. If the machinery of the press and the voice of the preacher are in constant employment to extend Universalism, the moral results of which are disastrous to vital religion and auxiliary to the spread of infidelity; then it is indispensable to create a counteracting current, to unmask this hideous form of error, and to snatch its unwary victims from the jaws of death. It is necessary to show, that some draw the cloak of Universalism over an infidel heart, others use it to drown sorrow and ward off the powerful influence of the Holy Spirit, or to shield themselves from the dire reproach of wilful apostasy from God, in order that all those who are unconsciously ensnared in the wiles of the Devil may be timely saved from the fearful results of delusion. 4. We desire to enlighten the public mind and to afford a just understanding of the relative claims of the Bible and of Universalism by holding them up in contrast. We have learnt, as every student of the system will learn, that it is a system of duplicity. They use Scriptural and theological phrases and terms with an occult and new coined idea-the terms are Scriptural and those commonly employed among men, but their latitude of meaning is quite dissimilar. We have found the public, the learned and illiterate, and even some Universalists themselves, egregiously in ignorance and in the dark relative to the faith, though many good books have been written in confutation of the system. How can the common people repel and confute the insinuations of this error, unless they know its pretensions and perceive the movings of its heart. To successfully foil the enemy they must understand the mode of attack and the nature of the weapons employed. kuntatiladigan yo proper tenets of this We have therefore, given their faith categorically, fortified with their own authority, in order that the reader may learn for himself the construction and position of their whole encampment— here they may learn the enemy, their discipline and mode of attack. The authors to whom we have had access, we have quoted directly, and to secure the views of others, we have been greatly assisted, in some parts of the work, by "Universalism as it is," written by Rev. Mr. Hatfield of New York. Thus we have favored the reader with a correct statement of their faith, its confutation by sound reason and the Scriptures, and the Scriptural authority relative to its own doctrines thus rudely perverted and unsoundly taught by Universalism. The whole is presented in a condensed form, which covers the space of several volumes in books already published. We were compelled to suppress one chapter in order not to expand beyond our intended limits, viz: the views of Univer |