vention, 1 publishing society, 2 periodicals, 6 associations, 36 societies, 17 meeting-houses, and 24 preachers. Net gain in 8 years, 3 associations, 16 societies, 8 meeting-houses, and 11 preachers.

In the Southern States, the progress is much slower. In the Western States, the doctrine has been introduced more recently, and its advancement is very rapid. In the United States and Territories, there are now (in 1843) constituting and belonging to the Universalist denomination: 1 United States Convention; 1 United States Historical Society, with a library of 500 rare and valuable books; 14 State Conventions, beside 4 State Sunday Schools, and 3 State Book and Tract Societies; 8 high schools and academies; 24 periodicals, beside annuals; 68 associations (or ecclesiastical councils, formed by delegates from several societies in a county, or several counties); 968 societies, beside about 250 churches; 596 meeting-houses, and 635 preachers. Net gain since last year, 1 State Convention, 6 associations, 50 societies, 19 meeting-houses, and 59 preachers, beside Sunday schools, periodicals, &c. Net gain in the last 8 years, 4 State Conventions, 28 associations, 305 societies, 351 meeting-houses, and 325 preachers.

In the United States and British Provinces in North America, combined, there are 1 General Convention; 14 State Conventions, beside other state societies; 68 associations; 24 periodicals, one of which circulates about 5000 copies weekly; 990 societies, 603 meetinghouses, and 646 preachers. The number of unorganized congregations, and individual believers scattered abroad, is very great also. And from the past increase and rapidly accelerating spread of the doctrine, aided as it is by all the benevolent feelings, holy desires, and humane tendencies of the age, its continued prosperity even unto a final triumph is certain to our minds, even were we not assured of that fact by the promises and prophecies of God recorded in Holy Writ.

III. THE FAITH OF UNIVERSALISTS, AND THE PRINCIPAL SCRIPTURE TEXTS RELIED ON FOR ITS SUPPORT.

As we have before stated, the principles of Christian freedom of opinion and of conscience, and liberal toleration in all non-essentials, adopted by the founders of the denomination, are practised by Universalists at the present day. In religious faith we have but one Father and one Master, and the Bible, the Bible, is our only acknowledged creed-book. But to satisfy inquirers who are not accustomed

to the liberal toleration induced by a free exercise of the right of private judgment, it becomes necessary to state in other than scripture language, our peculiar views on theological subjects. The General Profession of Faith adopted in 1803, and given above, truly expresses the faith of all Universalists. In that, the denomination is united.

The first preachers of our doctrine in this country, were converts from various denominations, and brought with them, to the belief of Universalism, many of their previous opinions, besides some which they picked up by the way. Murray held to the Sabellian view of the divine existence, and that man, being wholly punished in the person of the Saviour, by union with him, suffered no other punishment than what is the mere consequence of unbelief. Winchester was a Trinitarian of the "orthodox" stamp, and held to penal sufferings. Both were Calvinistic in their views of human agency, and both believed in suffering after death. Mr. Ballou was Arian in his views of God's mode of subsistence; but gradually abandoned the doctrine of the pre-existence of Christ, and became convinced that sin and suffering begin and end their existence in the flesh. Others, probably, differed somewhat in these and other particulars from these three brethren. But, very generally, Universalists have come to entertain, what are commonly called, Unitarian views of God, of Christ, of the Holy Spirit, and of Atonement, at least there appears to be a very general similarity between us and the English Unitarians, not only on those subjects, but also on the nature and duration of punishment, on the subject of the devil, and demoniacal agency, and on the final salvation of all moral beings. The Rev. Walter Balfour, a convert from the Congregationalist ministry, in Massachusetts, by his "Inquiries into the meaning of the original words rendered hell, devil, Satan, for ever, everlasting, damnation, &c. &c.," and more especially by his "Letters on the Immortality of the Soul," led some to adopt the opinion that the soul fell asleep at death, ⚫and remained dormant until the resurrection, when it was awakened, and raised in the immortal, glorious, and heavenly image. But all, or very nearly all Universalists agree in the opinion, that all sin and suffering terminate at the resurrection of the dead to immortality, when Death, the last enemy, shall be destroyed; and sin, the sting of death, be no more; and Hades (hell or the grave) will give up its victory to the Reconciler of all things in heaven, earth, and under the earth, unto God; and God be all that is in all. (See 1 Cor. xv.)

But, as before stated, they keep fellowship as Universalists with all Christians who believe in the final salvation of all intelligences from sin and death, whether, in other respects, they are Trinitarian or Unitarian;

Calvinistic or Arminian; whether they hold to baptism by immersion, sprinkling or pouring of water, or to the baptism of the spirit only; whether they use or reject forms; and whether they believe in punishment after death or not. In short, nearly all the differences of opinion which have rent the rest of Christendom into hundreds of opposing sects, exist in the Universalist denomination, without exciting any division or even strife; yea, they seldom cause even any controversy. Such is the harmonizing influence of the doctrine of one Father, one Saviour, one interest, and one final destiny for the whole human family! Universalists require, as the great evidence and only test that a professing Christian is what he pretends to be, the manifestation of the spirit of Jesus in his daily walk and conversation-practical proofs that he loves God and man-that he has the spirit of Christ dwelling in his soul, as well as the light of truth in his understanding. "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, that ye have love, one to another," said Jesus; and the only certain way to know that a man has such love, is to see it in his life and actions. No professions, no forms or ceremonies, can ever so well evince this love, as living it.

Those who wish to obtain more full and definite information respecting our views, are referred to the following out of the many excellent works published on the subject, viz.: Ballou on Atonement; Ballou on the Parables; Whittemore on the Parables; Whittemore's Guide to Universalism; O. A. Skinner's Universalism Illustrated and Defended; Pro and Con of Universalism; Williamson's Argument for Christianity; Williamson's Exposition and Defence of Universalism; Ely and Thomas's Discussion; D. Skinner's Letters to Aikin and Lansing; Smith's Divine Government; Winchester's Dialogues; Siegvolk's Everlasting Gospel; Petitpierre on Divine Goodness; (these four, and several other good works, are published in the first ten numbers of the "Select Theological Library," by Gihon, Fairchild & Co., Philadelphia-cost, only $1 00 for the ten numbers); Streeter's Familiar Conversations; Balfour's Inquiry; Balfour's Second Inquiry; Balfour's Letters to Professor Stuart; Paige's Selections from Eminent Commentators; Sawyer's Review of Hatfield's "Universalism as It Is;" Asher Moore's Universalist Belief; or any of our numerous periodicals, pamphlets, &c.

We close, (for our limits forbid further remarks,) by giving the following scriptural statement of our faith on several important doctrines a statement which has been widely circulated by our churches and brethren generally, and which may therefore be received with confidence, as stating our sentiments correctly. May we all be instructed

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of God into the reception, love and practice of all divine truth, now and for evermore.

I. We believe in one, supreme, and self-existent God, who is love— the Creator, Preserver, and Benefactor of all things-the Father of the spirits of all flesh, and the Judge of the whole earth-whose every attribute and perfection is but a modification of his infinite and unchanging goodness-of his impartial, unbounded and adorable love— and whose unending benevolence and almighty power are unceasingly directed to produce, ultimately, the greatest possible good of his intelligent creation.*

II. We believe in one Lord, the "Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time"--who is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world— being the promised Seed of the woman, and descended also from Abraham, to whom the promise was made. We believe this Mediator to be the Son of the living God, the Saviour of the world, the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person, who has revealed unto us the will of his Father, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. We also believe that God endued this, his Son and Messenger, plenteously with all good gifts; gave him all power necessary to execute his mission, and communicated to him the Spirit without measure, that through him, (as he is the way, the truth, the resurrection, and the life,) the whole human family (for all die in Adam, or the earthly nature) might finally be ransomed from the grave, saved (not IN but) FROM sin, delivered from misery, and be raised to power, incorruption, HOLINESS, glory, and be crowned with immortal LIFE (not death) and unspeakable felicity in the resurrection-for as all die in Adam, even so, in Christ shall all be made alive. We further believe that when Jesus has thus seen of the travail of his soul and is satisfied, he will deliver up the kingdom to God, his Father, and be himself subject unto the Father, that God may be all in all.†

III. We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments,

* Wishing to be as brief as possible, we must beg your labour to examine the following, among many other passages of scripture which might be quoted, to prove the foregoing, and further declare our views respecting our heavenly Father. Please to consult them. Deut. vi. 4; Psalm lxxxv. 10, and cxlvii. 5; Isa. xlv. 21, 22; Mal. ii. 10, and iii. 6; Mark xii. 29; John iv. 24; Acts xvii. 24-28; 1 Cor. viii. 4-6; Eph. i. 11; 1 Tim. ii. 4, 5; 1 John iv. 8, 16.

+ PROOFS.-Isaiah liii. 11; Matt. i. 21; John i. 45; iii. 34, 35; vi. 37-39, and xvii. 2, 3; Rom. xiv. 7-9; 1 Cor. vii. 6, and xv.; Eph. i. 9, 10; Philip. ii. 10, 11; Colos. i. 14–20 ; 1 Tim. ii. 5, 6; 2 Tim. i. 10; Heb. i. 2, 3, and ii. 14; 1 John ii. 1, 2, iv. 14, and v. 10, 11.

and receive their doctrines as the rule of our faith, and their precepts
as the guide of our practice. We believe them to contain a revela-
tion of the character, will, and attributes of God, our heavenly Parent
—of the mission, life, doctrines, and precepts of Jesus Christ, our
Lord and Saviour-and of the duty and final destination of man.
Believing them to be thus profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction,
and instruction in righteousness, that the servant of God may be
thoroughly furnished unto all good works, and whoso that properly
readeth them become wise unto salvation, we do most devoutly believe
that every promise and every threatening made in them, and relating
to a period yet future, will be fully performed and completely fulfilled,
to the honour, glory and praise of God, and to the benefit, satisfaction,
and final salvation of man. We do not, therefore, believe that the
Law (or threatenings) is against the gospel (or promises)—for the
promises were first made unto Abraham, and the law was given to
Moses four hundred and thirty years afterward, not to annul, but to
confirm the promises. Therefore will all chastisement but tend to
produce the blessings promised for all the nations, families, and kin-
dreds of the earth, in Christ, the chosen seed.

Disavowing, however, and protesting against all merely human
authority in matters of religious belief-from that of the greatest
council or highest dignitary, down to the humblest layman-and re-
jecting the binding force of all man-made creeds and confessions of
faith, we acknowledge the Bible as our only creed, and claim for our-
selves, what we freely grant to others, the privilege of reading and
construing it, under divine aid, according to the teachings of our un-
derstandings and the dictates of our consciences.*

IV. We believe that man, in his intellectual or spiritual nature, is
the offspring of God-that, even when a sinner, he is authorized and
commanded to call God his Father in heaven, and to pray to him for
the forgiveness of his sins-that, though a backsliding child, yet he is
called on to return to the practice of righteousness, because God is
"married unto" him-and that though mankind are, by creation, the
children of God, yet they may, in a more peculiar manner, become
characteristically the children of their Father which is in heaven, by
imitating his impartial goodness and universal perfections. We
believe that man is a moral agent, and as such an accountable being,
-that he will ce tain'y be punished for every crime he commits, and
rewarded for every virtuous act he performs. We also believe that

* PROOFS.-Gen. xii. 3, xviii. 18, xxii. 18, xxvi. 4, and xxviii. 14, compared with Acts
iii. 25, 26; and Gal. iii. 15-22; Num. xxiii. 19, compared with Isa. lv. 8-13, and Heb. xii.
5-14; 2 Cor. iii. 17; and 1 Cor. vii. 23; Luke xii. 57; John xii. 48, and 1 Thess. v. 21.