The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-31

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Apostles" and stating that in his
opinion it contained many arguments
which he thought unanswerable; and
also up till the moment he had read
that work, he had no idea that any
such opinions had ever been entertain
ed by any writer. He then wished to
know what Mr.. Douglass pinion was
regarding the subject of the Restora-
tion of all things.
Inanswer to these inquiries he was in
duced to lay before him so much of the
scripture evidence in support of that
doctrine as he could at the time recol-
lect His friend owned that the passages
which Mr.. Douglas had quoted were
seemingly altogether favorable to
that view of the question; and that
many of the texts of scripture which
had hitherto caused him to stagger
upon the dark mountains of unbelief,
now seemed fraught with nothing but
blessings to mankind. Having learned
all that he wanted to know, at least
until he had considered the matter
more fully, Mr.. Douglas and he parted
with mutual congratulations, he at the
same time expressing hope that he
would soon have an opportunity of
spending another evening with Mr..
Douglas in cOnversing together on the
things that concern the kingdom.
Shortly after this time Mr.. Douglas
made an excursion to preach the gos-
pei. On his return was greatly sur
prised to find that his quOndam friend
had been very busy circulating the
report that Mr.. Douglas was unsound
in the faith, and that it was the bound
en- duty of all who were interested in
the cause of Christ, to cease from
listening to such teacher.
The letting of seats in the church for
the year had just been intimated, and
this affair oppOrtunely served to deter
the people, and was improved for that
purpose. To vindicate truth and put it
in the power of such as might care to
hear him to judge for themselves, he
deemed it expedient to make the fol-
lowing declaration: Faith, my dear
brethren, is the result of conviction,
not of force, nor of any expedient that
may be employed to bribe the under
standing. The unrestrained liberty of
thinking, judging, speaking, writing
and acting for himself in all matters of
religion, is the inalienable right Of
private judgment which every man de-
rives from God, and cannot by human
compact or consent be dissolved or
given up. The obligation to believe
and obey God in all things, and Him
alone is founded on his relation to
us as creator, lawyer and judge, and
because this relation always exists the
obligation resulting from it, cannot
cease to bind the conscience or be trans
ferred to any creature or church. When
a man thus believes with his heart he
is bound, as a Christian TO confess it,
and if he does not he is walking in
craftiness and handling the word of
God deceitfully. Can that God who has
made this every mans privilege and
duty, make it at the same time the duty
of others to molest their brethren in
the exercise of that right, or attempt to
rob them of it. Our God and Father
has been pleased to reveal his will con-
cerniDg this and all other matters that
concern our spiritual well-being in His
holy word, but before we can under
stand what God has to reveal, we
must, forsooth, say they, study some
famed human system, such as that en-
bodied in the writings of John Calvin,
or in the Westminster Confession of
Faith, or resign our judgment to the
guidance of those who profess to have
done so, and acquired license to be the
public instructor of others. These
privileged guardians and directors OF
the faith which is supposed to be
taught in the scriptures, block up the
highway to heaven with so many
turnpikes, at which we must give up
our reason and our right and duty of
examining and judging for ourselves
the grounds of our faith, for ticket
emitting us to pursue our journey
heavenward.
(To BE CONTINUED.