THE DIFFICULTIES OF UNIVERS-
ALISM LESS THAN THOSE
OF ANY OTHER FORM
OF CHRISTIANITY.

BY REV. HENRY BACON.

I am now to treat of Difficulties in Religious Theories; for the utmost to which the title of this article goes, is the claim, that the difficulties of Universalism are less than those of any other form of Christianity; admitting, by implication, that our form of religion has its difficulties. The question is, Where are the least difficulties to be found? since from the

very nature of the subjects involved, there must be difficulties to try our faith and discipline, our reverence and loyalty.

Nothing is gained by that course of bold assumption which declaims in behalf of a form of religious faith as though it were all plain, not in the least burdened with difficulties, and to be received as easily as the morning air is drunk by the citizen as he leaves his home. Such declaimers forget that Religion is a matter of the infinite; that it is necessarily mysterious; that it has heights and depths which only an infinite mind

can explore. To treat lightly of its difficulties is either to show evidence of extreme littleness of mind, or shallowness of acquaintance with the question involved. And it will, so far as my observation has run, be found, that the coarsest natures and the least cultivated minds deal most familiarly and trippingly with the difficulties concerning the extent of the redemption of Christ, under which the mightiest minds have staggered. Dr. Dwight in his Theology, in treating of this subject, admits that the doctrine of endless punishment is unquestionably perplexing as well as distressing," and adds, "There are, I know, persons who speak concerning it with an air of cool self-complacency, as being in their view easy of investigation and free from embarrassment. I am inclined, perhaps. uncharitably, to give them little credit for candor, clearness of intellect, or soundness of character, and greatly doubt whether the doctrine has been investigated by them to such an extent, or with such a spirit, as might furnish them with just views of its nature." Rev. Albert Barnes, in treating on the

ary

same subject, speaks of difficulties which he says "are real, not imagindifficulties. They are probably felt by every mind that ever reflected on the subject--and they are unexplained, unmitigated, unremoved. I confess, for one, that I feel them, and feel them more sensibly and powerfully the more I look at them, and the longer I live." And when he looks to the result to which all things tend, and sees the misery involved in it, he says, "It is all dark— dark--dark to my soul-and I cannot disguise it' Professor Stuart says, "No reflecting man can wonder that so many among us are deeply agitated by this subject. There are not a few who claim to be considered as Christians, whose minds are filled with difficulty in respect to the subject of endless misery in a future world; and no inconsiderable number who reject, even with scorn and contumely, the idea that such a doom for the human soul is possible."

But this Professor goes further than this, and uses language that is strong enough for our purpose, for he says, "If there are any whose breasts are strangers to such difficulties as these, they are to be congratulated on having made attainments almost beyond the reach of humanity in this world; or else to be pitied for ignorance, or the want of sympathy which seems to be among the first elements of our social nature. With the great mass of thinking Christians, I am sure," he continues, "such thoughts as these must, unhappily for them, be acquaintances too familiar. That they agitate our breasts as storms do the mighty deep, will be testified by every man of a tender heart, and who has a deep concern in the present and future well being of those whom he loves."

This is strong language, and it testifies to the fact, that awful difficul

ties encompass the idea opposite to our faith; but I have yet a more terrible confession to offer, which opened "the secrets of the prison

house" of those who seem to have an unquestioning faith in what they preach of the horrible, but whose minds are really in chaos. I was visiting a dying man one day and took up a book to see what had been read to him, or what was by his side for reading, and found it the Life of Rev. Edward Payson, D. D., who died in Portland, Me., in 1827. When he preached, it was a torrent in fullness and impetuosity, and no man could question his zeal or devotedness. And yet that man confessed, as I read in his Life, that it seemed to him that should he become an apostate and write against religion, he could bring forth arguments that would shake the faith of all Christians in the world. He had, he said, met nothing like them in books. In another letter to a friend he writes" My difficulties increase every year. There is one trial which you cannot know experimentally. It is that of being obliged to preach to others when one doubts everything, and can scarcely believe that there is a God. All the atheistical, deistical and heretical objections, which I meet with in books, are childish babbling compared with those which Satan suggests, and which he urges upon the mind with a force almost irresistible. Yet I am often obliged to write sermons, and to preach, when these objections beat upon me like a whirlwind, and almost distract me."

I will not stop to argue the position that no man has any right to preach under such circumstances. I respect the dead, but such things are too serious to be passed without condemnation, be the man dead or alive. Above all things, let honesty be

found in the Sacred Desk, but let no man dare to write sermons and preach while he "doubts everything, and can scarcely believe that there is a God."

One thing is certain thus far in our discussion, and that is, Forms of Christianity which are opposite to Universalism have difficulties. I have no wish to strain this confession, to magnify it, but I do want it to be recognized and felt. I do want the idea of endless punishment, where it is received, to "agitate the breast as storms do the mighty deep." I do want the awfulness of this terrible thought to stir the depths of the moral and social nature. Let deep call unto deep-the grand thought of Immortality be brought into companionship with the hideous idea of endless pain. It carries its own refutation in its terribleness.

The

sun burns it; the moon walks above it; the ocean sweeps it away as a reed. Earth, with her million voices, mingles with the best and holiest affections of the human soul, and the music banishes this demon of darkness, as the harp of David drove the evil spirit from the mind of Saul.

Now while these strong and pungent admissions concerning the Dif ficulties of Partialism, or a partial redemption of our race are before the world, how innocent of the whole matter do those persons seem who come to us and say, If it were not for some difficulties-a few passages of Scripture, I should receive Universalism. A friend of mine remarked this to me one day when the eye told how much she needed our blessed faith, and I answered her with the remark, What form of Christianity will you name that has not some difficulties-some "difficult passages" to contend with? And is not Religion, by its very nature, subject to difficulties? The thought

seemed never to have struck her mind before. She confessed it; and she saw how she had been treating Universalism as though it were the only ism that had any difficulties. I was ready to explain any passage, or answer any question, she might propose, but at the outset it was to be understood that I should not attempt impossible things. No soul ever rejoiced in the truth who waited to have all objections answered and difficult passages cleared up. What

work is there for faith when all matters are made plain? What opportunity is there to imitate Abraham, who against hope rejoiced in hope? And what is the great demand of the Church but for a faith in the word of God that holds fast to the exceeding great and precious promises, staggering not at difficulties, but giving glory to God as the being who can surmount all obstacles and bear his purpose to a perfect development. In all study in natural science, in philosophy, and in the phenomena of mind, we find frequent reasons for falling back on certain great principles, and leaning there for support when mysteries appall and weaken us. So it is with the study of God's providence and Word, "in which are some things hard to be understood," as St. Peter said of the epistles of his beloved "brother Paul."

We admit that we have Difficulties to contend with, but never such as make us sceptical or doubting. We find new lights to illumine our religious faith every year; and more and more are difficulties cleared up by the aid of a truer philosophy and