, 1881-01-02

IT'S POPULAR STANDING NOW COMPARED
WITH Thirty YEARS AGO
Netp York Sun.
The death of the Rev. DR.. Chaplin, the most
eloquent and the best known of Unlvcrsalist
ministers reminds US Of the great and radical
changes which have taken place since the
beginning Of his career as a preacher with
reference to the doctrine Of everlasting pun
ishment. Forty years ago, when he was
pastor of Universalist church at Charles
town. in Massachusetts,, the doctrines he
taught were utterly odious to the whole Or
thodox Church. Now, it is not too much to
say, they are very little different from the
prevailing views even in what are known as
the evangelical denominations.
During the early years Of DR.. Chapin's min
istry, Universa1ism was the bugbear and the
butt Of orthodox preachers There was no
religious teaching which they held in greater
detestation. They treated it as denial OF
Christianity, as vicious announcement OF
wickedness in men, and as something too
absurd for the consideration of Intelligent
-Cnf1stlalls. A UhiYersallst was 8 man far
outside OF, the Christian fold, iii their eyes,
and it was frequently and jeerfngly asked
among them why a Universalist Church was
needed at all when men would be saved any
way.
were ia the fuIll,ess Of their power at the
time DR.. Chaplin began his nlinlstratlons, anu
for many years after they continued to make
converts BY the hundred. The terroTs OF
He'll. the sure retributlon which awaited me
unreienting purpose Of God to doom the sim
ner to everlasting misery were the great
themes OF such preachers. Finney pointed
out the awful peril Of the sinner and the m
eyitabe consequenees Ct s:n IN ngafepenleo ',oo OF
trayed to his awestruck congregations the
torInents Of a realistic HELL.
Fiuney's manner was intense and his
method logical as he gradually closed up
every loophole Of escape for the lnpenlttent; T.:
and, though his delivery was not violent, ne
would at length work Ills audience up to the
highest pitch of excitement 10 escape the
perils of Hell and to find refuge in the ark OF
safety was usually a common Impulse win
those among his hearers VINO llau hot YET lac, &C.
down. All through the older States OF the
North his voice was heard, and he had a
powerful influence in building up the Cal
whistle churches. 1t is not too much to say
that the doctrine Of eternal punishment was
fundamental with them ali, as it was the es-
sential doctrine of his own religious system:
Knapp went at the work III a rougher ana
more violent way. Hell was fayorit term
with him, and to his excited imaglnauon
|
fearful screams OF the doomed inhabitants Of
the place Of torment. He had no words ex-
cept those of ridicule, and contempt, anu de
testation for the Universalists-, He classed
them with runlsellers and gamblers, as me
worst enemies of humanity. And certainly,
50 far as the Baptists were concerned, Jacob
Knapp was III his time man. OF prodlgIous
influence lie was the conspicuous worker
in the reviyals which planted the seed from
which many churches have Ia e crown; and ,e, we
more numerous and are increasing more rap
idly than any other religious denomination
except the Methodists. The lay preachers,
reviva]ists, ordained ministers, exnorters,
used the doctrine Of eternal punishment as
tie strongest means Of inducing men to ac-
cept the terms Of salvation.
IT may therefore be said broadly that the
doctrine Of hell has been the most commonly
received teaching, and one Of the most u1-
gently pressed doctrines, in all our Protestant
Churches which have attained numerical i'm
porta1lce- Jonathan Edwards preached it to
the Cungregationalists at Northampton, as
tans. it lay and still lies at the centre OF
Episcopal Prayer-Book.
Meantime the U1iversalists have ADVANCED
slowly, and they are still among the smallest
ranSing in that respect about with the Qua
kers. Compared with the Methodlsts, pap
isis. Presbyterians, and Cong tlonallsts,
taken together Us the nominal exponents OF
the doctrine Of everlasting punishment, uaes
are only about one-seventieth as numerous.
And yet on the same day on which Dr'
Chaplin died an Association Of Congregation
alists met at Fairport in th1s State to e6i
,sider whether they should dIste!iowsnlI
prominent. Congregational minister ol
Rochester for preaching. against lne doc,
trine Of hell as taught BY AL these mos
numerous and most successful aenonlii!ta,
lions, Perhaps the Association Will vote t9
disfellowsllip Him, but his Church VIII seallo
by him, and he will go on preaching as
Congregational minister Just the same Ano
this nan is type nf !. large and increasing
class Of ministers in all the orthodox denoMl,
nations, except that he has the courage M OF
lis opinions, and that is something they
usually have not. He merely gave EXPIRES
sion to doubts which are Of wellnigh UNI,
yersal prevalence botl among the clergy anc
| laity OF the more Intelligent sort
The same change in regard to the doctrine
| of eternal punishment has come over En'
| glish orthodoxy. Even where 1t is n9I eN
plicitely denied nr carefully or adroitly eS'
| planned away, the old teaching IS Ignored.
| How often is it preached here il, these days:
| The truth is, Unfversa1issn is becoming
| part even Of orthodoxy. and when or1ho!os
| ministers join i'll the exercises at Dr. Chapin,: