doubt, had no small tendency to bring me on to the ground where I have for many years felt established. It was my reading some Deistical writings.* By this means I was led to see, that it was utterly impossible to maintain Christianity as it had been generally believed in the church. This led me, of course, to examine the Scriptures, that I might determine the question whether they did really teach that Jesus Christ died to reconcile an unchangeable God to his own creatures. You cannot suppose that I was long in finding that, so far from teaching such absurdities, the Scriptures teach that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself. The question

*Mr. Ballou's evident intent here was to say, not that he imbibed the anti-Bible sentiments of these Deistical writers, but that he was led to see, from perusing what they had written, that the Bible had been greatly misunderstood and misinterpreted. He was convinced that Christianity could not be successfully defended on the ground of the Trinity and the Vicarious Atonement. He suspected that the Bible had been wrested from its proper meaning to support those doctrines; and subsequent inquiries proved to him that he was correct. Notwithstanding this was the natural, clear and manifest meaning of Mr. Ballou, yet we lament to say that Rev. A. Latham, in a paper called the True Wesleyan, misrepresented his words, in the following manner:

"Says Hosea Ballou, of Boston, the human father of modern Universalism, I had preached but a short time before my mind was entirely freed from all the perplexities of the doctrine of the Trinity, and the common notion of the ATONEMENT. ** It may be proper for me here to state one circumstance, which, no doubt, HAD NO SMALL TENDENCY to bring me to the ground where I have for many years felt established. It was my reading some DEISTICAL WRITINGS.' See an article by Hosea Ballou in the Modern History of Universalism, by Thomas Whittemore,' pp. 476-7.

"Whoever has read Paine's Age of Reason' would hardly need to be told by the father of modern Universalism that he was led to embrace it by reading' Deistical writings.' It is pure Deism itself, in all essential respects."

respecting the Trinity, was by the same means speedily settled. But I cannot say for certainty in what year I became a Unitarian; but it was long before I wrote my Treatise on Atonement.” * The Treatise on Atonement was not published until 1805. It is fully proved, then, by the testimony of Rev. Edward Turner, as given above, that Mr. Ballou preached openly in defence of his Unitarian views as early as 1795. He probably became a Unitarian in 1794. He has said in another place:

"Our beloved parent had no occasion to dissuade his children from reading books favorable to liberal Christianity, for the very good reason that there were no such books anywhere in our vicinity. My brother David was, for some years, a member of our father's church; but he never preached in public until he embraced Universalism, when he was some thirty one or two years of age. I was not a year behind my brother in embracing

this doctrine; but we were both Calvinistic at first. I remained so but a short time, and found it as difficult to convince my elders of the errors of Calvinistic tenets as other people of the error of the doctrine of endless punishment."†

SECTION XX.

CONVENTION OF 1795 AND 1796.

The General Convention met in 1795, at Bennington, Vt. Mr. Murray, who, about two years before, had removed from Gloucester, Mass., to Boston, and become the pastor of the First Universalist Society in the latter place, was present at this meeting of the Convention, and was elected Moderator. Mr. Ballou was chosen clerk. Here

*See letter to Rev. Thomas Whittemore, published in "Mod. History of Universalism," Boston, 1830, p. 437.

† See Trumpet, vol. xvi. p. 116.

he had an opportunity to become further acquainted with Mr. Murray. We think the circular to the churches this year was written by Mr. Ballou. In 1796, the Convention met at Winchester, N. H. Zebulon Streeter was Moderator,-a kind, paternal man, who loved the cause of Zion, and who did all in his power to build it up among men. His anxious eye, it may be, discovered slight clouds of discontent arising at the prevalence of the new opinions; which he sought to dispel. He was a friend of religious liberty, and desired that every man should be fully persuaded in his own mind. "It is true," said he, in the circular of this year, "that different professors of the Abrahamic faith have dissimilar views concerning the modes in which so great a salvation will be individually made known to the purchased possession; but we collectively and separately, seriously, affectionately, meekly, entreat our brethren that they would not give themselves over to vain disputations on the manner in which Jehovah worketh the counsel of his will; rather rest ye contented that God, who hath promised, is faithful to perform; and cheerfully receive all those who are blessed with gifts of edification, however diverse their gifts may be, preferring no one man above his fellow-man, and rendering honor to none, save unto Jesus Christ, the only Holy and the only Reverend."*

SECTION XXI. MR. BALLOU'S MARRIAGE.

In the fall of 1796, an event took place which had a great influence on all Mr. Ballou's subsequent life,

*See Manuscript Records of the Convention. The circular was published, but we have never seen a printed copy.

we refer to his marriage. He had made an arrangement to preach at Hardwick (in the part afterwards known as Dana*) as often, perhaps, as once in a month. His residence was to be in that place. Elder Caleb Rich had commended to his attention a young lady of Williamsburg, Mass., Miss Ruth Washburn, who was a few years younger than himself. She was prepared, by some suggestion from the well-meaning elder whom we have named, to receive Mr. Ballou's visits with favor; and she once assured the biographer, that when she saw the elder and the young man approaching her father's house, she said to herself, "There comes my future companion." Their acquaintance ripened into that strong attachment which is the surest pledge of happiness in the married life; and they were married in the latter part of September, 1796. The young lady remained at her father's about three months, when, on a winter's day, she entered a sleigh with her husband, and rode to their new home. She was the faithful wife of this man until he died, nearly fifty-six years after marriage. No one who had not seen Mrs. Ballou in her own house, who had not had opportunities to observe her gentleness, her deep respect and tender love for her husband; her aim to make him happy; to aid him in every work he undertook; to anticipate his wants and gratify them; to train up her children to love and serve him, no one, we say, who had not opportunities to see these things, could know how excellent a

* Dana was incorporated in 1801, and consisted of parts of Hardwick, Greenwich and Petersham. Mr. Ballou lived in Hardwick, as appears from the records of that town, from which the following publishment was taken : 66 Sept. 11, 1796. Mr. Hosea Ballou, of Hardwick, and Miss Ruth Washburn, of Williamsburg.”

wife she was. No description will better fit her character than that given by Solomon of an excellent woman. "The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her." *** “She will do him good, and not evil, all the days of her life."***"She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband, also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all." Thus were opened to Mr. Ballou the joys and responsibilities of a married life. He was settled among a people who deeply loved him, and who delighted to listen to his instructions. His salary for preaching was about five dollars per Sabbath. Much labor, of course, was rendered gratuitously, especially that which was performed on secular days. To gain what to us seems a scanty pittance, he was obliged to travel sometimes to great distances, and always into some neighboring or more distant town three Sabbaths in four. But he lived happily. His wants were all supplied, for he wanted little. His soul was deeply impressed with gratitude to God. These were his rosy days. His heart, his mind, his time, his strength, were all given to the gospel. He saw the pleasure of the Lord prospering in his hand. "The wilderness rejoiced and blossomed like the rose." "Instead of the thorn came up the fir-tree, and instead of the brier came up the myrtle-tree.'

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