The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-11-27
DIR. EDDY's HISTORY.


country from the year 1886 to 1900.
The second volume, now issued, COM
pletes the work and brings the history
down to the close of 1885. The first
volume traced the doctrine from its
appearance in the writings Of Samuel
Gorton, the New England mystic of
1886, and Sir Henry Vane, the younger,
governor of Massachusetts in that year,
giving special attention to the several
phases which Universalism assumed
down to the close of the eighteenth
century, when Murray and Winchester
were its prominent advocates, and the
star of Hosea Ballou began to rise upon
the horizon.
At the beginning of the present
century, according to DIR. Eddy's state
ment at the close of the first volume,
there were only between thirty and
thirty-fve preachers in the United
States engaged in the ministry of Uni
versalism, and these were scattered
over territory extending from Maine
to Virginia. The time was, however,
one of promising religious interest.
Everywhere" as DR.. Eddy observes,
"the people were eager to hear, and
devoted, sanity men were, at great per-
''sonal sacrifice, going forth at the call
''of God to occupy the opening fields. !"
The second volume takes up the history
at this interesting point, and in six
chapters, comprising nearly five hundred
pages, unfolds the history of our faith
and church, from 1901 down to the close
of 1885. The chronological order is
closely followed in these chapters to the
year 1920. Then the author goes back
few years to cover the entire period
of the famous "Restorationist Contro-
versy,"-1817-1S41-a special chapter
being devoted to that controversy. The
fifth chapter embraces 1S21-1S86, and
the sixth and last is devoted to review
of the educational movements of our
church, from the beginning in 1914
to the present time. A photography
of the literature and periodicals of the
church, with an index, and the index
to the history, occupies one hundred
and fifty pages, the entire volume max
ing portly octave Of six hundred and
thirty-four pages. The publishers notice
in another column gives an outline of
the special features of interest contained
in this volume of the history. We may
add that it gives very copious account
of the early Conventions and Associa-
tions, recapitulating year by year the
doings of these bodies. The New Eng
land and Philadelphia Conventions are
followed closely, and their record in
matters of UNCONVENTIONAL polity traced
with all necessary fullness. The history
of the famous Restorationist contro-
versy, which convulsed New England
for many years, is now told with the
first approach to full account of that
noted disturbance. The interesting
narrative of the adoption of the Profess
sion of Belief in 1903, and the legal
controversy which preceded and fol-
lowed it, resulting finally in the relief
afforded by the action of the New
Hampshire legislature in 1906, which
recognized Universalists las distinct
religious sect or denomination, from any
other" is detailed with skill and care,
the author verifying his record by an
examination of the various court de-
cisions. The chapter on Education"
begins vertically at the beginning, when,
in 1914, the first effort was made to
found an academy under Universalist
control, and records every movement
that was made in this direction, from
the establishment of Nichols Academy
in Dudley, Mass, in 1915, to the estab-
lishment of Lombard Divinity School
in 1881.
In addition to these topics, the history
follows the plan of the previous volume
in giving biographical sketches of the
leading ministers and laymen of each
successive period. Among those whose
names are recorded with more or less
biographical information, are John
Murray and his wife, Hosea Ballou,
Abner Kneeland, Richard Carrique,
Hon. Hugh White, Nathaniel Stacy,
Charles Hudson, Paul Dean, Stephen
r. Smith and DR.. Ballou, with many
incidental references to other and less
prominent names. The rise of the
State Conventions is noted, and the
successive steps which led to the reor-
ganization of the General Convention
are also traced with painstaking indus
try. The general progress of Universal
ism in the several States and Territories
is presented i'll alphabetical order. The
history of Universalist Sunday schools
is given in brief outline, and also a
short review of our publishing interests.
The author concludes with a brief
glance at the field as it exists to-day.
within less than two score years we
''have made our real, our lasting gains,
"Our churches, our Conventions, our
schools aud cOlleges-all our denom-
Irrational interests attest healthy
growth; while the central truth pro-
''claimed by the fathers grows more