Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1878-03-06
Correspondence.
Letter from White River Junction,
WmfH liiyrR JUNCTION, Vr,l
MARCM lsT, 1873,

Enron AGni Dear Air-What
change has taken place 10 the churcI
within the last fifty years, Fin,
years ago the church taught tho doc.
lrlne II lake Of fire aud brimston,
into which all those who did not sub
scribe 10 the tenets u that partlcula
church would DO cast there 10 wlilh'
In untold anguish through endles
ages, Again, tho church At that llm'
taught the doctrine Of election, tina
Is, that God at the creation Of thu
world iore-ordalned q certain part d
his children 10 DO saved without NnS
regard to good work, while no would
torment through all eternity nine
tpnlhs Of the human race be they oyel
80 kind and obedlent, IN those days
the church wowhlpcd God Of wrath
aud vengeance whose delight II was
TO torment his helpless ofspllngs, ],
Mr. Editor was brought up under this
doctrine, aud II was the only doctrine
that ! heard preached during my
youthful days, My sabbath school
teachers would tell me II did no and
30 should bc cast into the lake Of
fire and birthstone and the devil would
pitch nc about in II forever and cv,
CT, aud the saints in Heaven would
rejoice at my suilerings, IN some Of
the sabbath school books there would
be u most horrid picture with eleven
foot aud n large pitchtork in It's hand,
which was made to represent the dew
il. | heard no other doctrine preached
until arrived at the age oi sixteen
or seventeen years, AT that time the
ULiyersllists held conference in the
church at White River Village. |
attended and heard three excellent
sermons-one by the Rev, Russell.
Strecter, one by the Rev. Mr.. Wal,
lace, and last but not the least, one by
the Rev. Eli Balou, whose text was
in Revelations, 2lst chapter and q
part Of the 9th verse; "And he that
sat on the TIN one said, Behold ] make
oil things new How true were Mr.
Ballous words upon that occasion, lie
said that infant damailon had gone
TO the shades, and the doctrine of a
lake Of fire and birthstone was fast
passing away, while the doctrine of
election was fast being dispeled by
the rays of Gods beautiful sunlight
And soon he SAID the only punishment
would be the remorse OF guilty con
science. And he said the belief in a
God of wrath and vengeance will soon
be done away, and then the only doc
trine preached will be the doctrine of
Gods universal love-a love that EN-.
braces within its arms the whole hu-
man family love that will not
suffer one to wander oft and be lost.
How prophetic We're Mr.. Ballous
words. Go into our churches to-day
and you will not hear preached the
wrath of an offended God, but his I'M
dying love towards his children, will
be the topic. What change. Our
churches Lave learned that the world
,an not be converted by preaching d.
vine wrath and vengeance. On the
contrary if it ever is converted it must
De done by proclaiming the undying
owe of our Heavenly Father, whose
owing kindness and tender mercies
ire over all the works of his hands,
md who will not suffer sparrow to
all to the ground without his notice.
The most learned men of all nations
ire waking up to this truth, and many
If them say to tho world that the
words shell" and ''damnation" never
hould have been put in the Bible for
hey did not belong there. When the
hurch does away with ole more old
logma, then will Gods undying love
eign supreme throughout the world.
have reference to the dogma Of good
works. profting nothing. This is
cry bad doctrine to proclaim to the
world at this enlightened age. l
card a preacher proclaim from the
ulpit, short time since, that man
night live the best of moral lives,
hight devote his whole life in doing
God, in feeding the hungry, clothing
ne naked and doing deeds OF mercy
nd kindness to all who come within
ne circle OF his influence. but if he
'cked the one thing needful, the won.
erful and mysterious working of the
pirit of the Holy Ghost upon the
cart, he never could be saved. Now,
lr. Editor, what was Chrlsts doctrine? ]
lear him /: $50 and sell what thou
asst and give to the poor" Again, I