Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-04-10
lPablished BY request.l
g Statements Respecting UnIversRIism
Examined"
A nTS1 pUR = f.


the answering of statements publicly made by
another, respecting our faith, and those in this
place who profess it. But have no apology TO
offer for making them because l deem such a
course to be that of sacred duty my part-a
duty which owe to God, to my conscience, to
you who are worshpDers in this house, conse-
Grated to the Father of all, to the holy cause of
the Gospel of illimitable grace, and last, though
not least to the brother Of another sect, who has
| spoken as we believe, in error, of our faith and
its tendencies, and to those Of his fraternity who
| may possibly hear or know that any reply to him
| has ever thus been made.
| In all have to say, | would seek not only to
| answer what l believe to be the errors Of a
| Christian brother OF another denomination, and
to yindioate the faith of my own, but the quick
| ening of all our minds as to she beauty and eX-
| cellency of Christian truth, and as to the need
| there is that all who name and profess Christ
| should better understand each other, Learn more
| truly to love brethren, and thus more Impress
lively and efectually commend to an unbelieving
world that religion which comes to bring peace
on earth, and good will, man with man, every
! where.
A statement of the causes which have led to
this discourse, it will be proper that should
| here make to you.
Some time in the month of January last, there
appeared in the columns of the New York hide
| pendent the following statement, in letter to
| the editors
rhsre considerable interest in the churches of Wor
cester The morning prayer meeting crowds one OF the
churches and With some the feeling is strong that we
the confines of a general and powerful revival
Sne or two cases OF conversion OF eoabrned Unyersasts
are quite remarkable "
In direct notice of this statement, the follow.
ing communication, by Universalist of this
city, was addressed to the editor or editors of the
independent
MeSsrs Editors,-I notice that a late number of The
Independent contains statement to this edect,-hat
there have been remarkable Instances Of the
version Of confirmed Universslts in Worcester, Mass
Of the nature of these conversions have not learned
ALLOW to in your paper that the Universast' of
this city not of tue conversions spoken OF by
your correspondent, by them he the conversion
of 'conhrme1 Unversaists" to other doctrines One
has been very widely reported, of member Of the
Unversast congregation who had become deeply inter
esed in personal religion, and Of whom it was said that
he had renounc UGiversalism when he has frequently
stated that up time Of special had
never accepted that faith Let do justice each ether
II there is good degree of religious Interest among
other sects in Worcester, say further, that the
members of the Universas fraternity here been
sharing In this interest; that it in reality began with
them sometime before the morning prayer meetings Of
| which your correspondent 6rtes had commenced. We
have some of the best conference meetings Of any church
in this city; and we pray for Gods blessing all the
churches A UNIveas ALIsT
Worcester, Mass, Feb. Is, 1858.
There some delay in the publication of this
| letter This might have been necessary, in the
multiplicity of editors cares and responsible
ties The fact OF its publication, however, is one
| for which we ready to give due credit; though
we are not pleased with the spirit in which it is
| evidently presented to the public. Instead of
| being accompanied with any apologetcal word or
expression OF regret that any misrepresentation
| of his neighbors had been made by the Worcester
correspondent of the Independent. or of gladness
| that the Universalist brother had now an oppor-
| tunity to speak has word to the revival of
Christian interest in this place: or, instead of
allowing the communication to stand upon its
| own merits, without note or comment, we find
the following remarks appended, which, when the
| tone OF them is considered, do not very
strongly to commend the good-naturedness Of
the author to his most charitable and diSerimin-
ating readers.
F" With respect to the foregoing Ii. e., the com.
munication), already before US" our brother, the
editor, says, " we have but two remarks to offer:
81 If Universalisn is true there is little reason why
anybody il this life need be Converted to any
faith in particular, or shou become deeply interested id
personal religion.'
II Universaiem is not true, if Christ really ant
that should strive in the straight gate
because there fsw that be saved then it is great
pity that the Universaiss Of Worcester have not been
convicted to saving iaith"
These remarks, be it noticed, are entirely un-
called for They have nothing to do with the
subject under notice of the correspondent from
| Worcester. They are wholly gratultous, making
| no contribution whatever to the clearing up of
the Misrepresentation of which the last cores
! pendent complains.
To these statements, however, let US now can ,
| didly attend, in accordance with that apostolic
rule, 'reDouncing the hidden things of dishoH-
esty. not walking in craftiness, not handling the
word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of
the Huth' commencing ourselves 10 every man
conscience in the sight Of God"
l. Inc nrst statement brings directly before us
"hat we conceive 10 oe an error OF our otother as
10 the nature ana value oi CHRISTIAN lie III tins
/ present state OF man exstehce'
IF Universalism is true, there is little reason
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