truth. He preached in any place to which he was called; sometimes in school-houses, sometimes in barns, sometimes in the open air,- more frequently, perhaps, in private houses, but quite seldom in meeting-houses. So far from thinking this a hard lot, he thanked God that he was prospered so highly. "What was I but a young man, of slight attainments, honored above many others by being permitted to preach in the name of Jesus?" He felt he had cause for gratitude, rather than for repining. If he could collect a congregation of twenty or thirty persons, in some private house, or school-room, who were ready to listen to him, he felt grateful to God for the opportunity of vindicating the divine character against the aspersions cast upon it by the doctrines of men.

There were but few believers of Universalism in those days, and they were scattered over a great extent of territory. Referring to this fact many years afterwards, Mr. Ballou said, while speaking of the death of one of his early friends: "It is almost forty years since I first became acquainted with Mr. Clark. Being then young myself, and there being but a few professed believers in the salvation of all men at that time, to meet with a substantial believer, and to receive his hearty and cordial fellowship, was as encouraging as it was rare. The difference between those times and the present will bear a strong comparison. We now walk among brethren who are constantly multiplying around us; we scarcely let go the friendly hand of one, when another and another is presented, and we see so many that we cannot retain them all in our recollection. Like walking in well-watered fields, where living streams are flowing around us, те

can remember the scenery as a whole, but particular rivulets are not distinctly recollected. But the halffamished wanderer in the thirsty desert, who finds a cooling fountain, never forgets it during his life." * These early professors and defenders of Universalism had need of sympathy and of counsel. The world was against them; the strong influence of the popular clergy was against them; they were looked upon with distrust at least, if not with dislike and hatred. They were marked men, and were supposed to be fostering a religion of a very dangerous character. In those days there were no religious newspapers, to bear through the land every week the tidings of the spread of truth, and to scatter convincing arguments on every side. Under these circumstances, what a quickening did it give the heart of the Universalist to greet a brother of like precious faith, and to hear from his lips the intelligence of the progress of truth in the country at large, and more especially in his own heart! O, what rich seasons of joy were the meetings of the Convention, which brought the brethren together from all points, clergymen and laymen! Here the thirsty soul drank deeply of the waters of everlasting life; and the people returned to their homes encouraged, strengthened, and refreshed.

SECTION IX. A REMARKABLE DISPARITY.

There was a vast disparity between Universalists and those of the contrary part. The former were very few; the latter were many the former were weak; the latter

*See Trumpet and Universalist Magazine, vol. v. p. 3.

were very strong: the former had no worldly advantages to aid them; the latter abounded in such advantages. They had a learned priesthood, who exercised a vast influence over the people. All the colleges in the country were more or less under their control, as well as the wealth of the land, and almost all the civil and political influence. It was indeed a fearful odds; and had it not been for the fact that truth in itself cannot be destroyed, Universalism would have been crushed in the beginning, and there would now be scarcely any remembrance of it. Writing on this subject in 1836, Mr. Ballou himself said (and he remembered well the state of things in the times to which he referred), "Look back at the circumstances of the two contending parties at the commencement of the conflict. But the moment we turn our eyes to this object, we are all but astonished to discover what we there see. Universalism presents itself, in comparison with opposing doctrines, as a drop of water in comparison with an ocean, as one feeble individual in comparison with numerous legions of veteran soldiers. The disparity between Goliath and David would, to the eye of common observation, appear as nothing, when compared with the inequality between Universalism and its enemies at the beginning of this conflict. In the wide range of history we find nothing that compares with the disparity under consideration, unless we go to the New Testament, and read the account of Jesus coming from Galilee to Jerusalem, to set up a new. religion, in opposition to all the religious establishments in Judea and in the world. A learned and an established clergy, whose influence over the minds of men, women and children, was like

the magnet on the needle, or like gold on the heart of the miser, held in their hands the reins of ecclesiastical power, by which they guided the people much more to their minds than Balaam did his beast, who with man's voice rebuked the madness of the prophet. Spiritual pride was enthroned in all the high places of learning, from whence it looked down with the scorn even of contempt on what it pleased to call the vile heresy of Universalism. All the various denominations in the land, who would oppose each other on terms as unfriendly as those which set at difference Herod and Pilate before they united in the work of crucifying Jesus, were ready to act in concert against the despised doctrine of a world's salvation. The iron rod of church discipline was held over the heads of communicants, and the terrors of dishonorable excommunication were flashed in the face of either male or female who might be suspected of entertaining but a faint hope that God would have mercy on all men; while the laws were such that no man could be exempt from paying taxes to the established clergy, without being at the expense of ruinous litigations. But all these formidable terrors were outweighed by the certain loss of the enjoyments of social favors and affections to such as were known to speak in favor of mercy for all men. All the religious books in the land were so many magazines of everlasting condemnation, in which were treasured up the vials of what was called divine wrath; and this constituted the milk which nourished infant minds, served up in the sweetness of verse for children to sing. The Bible was supposed to contain an infinite supply of the

munitions of warfare against what was called the new heresy of universal grace and salvation." *

With such a disparity, how did Universalism maintain its footing at all? Why was it not driven back at once? How could the few feeble and unlearned men who undertook to defend this doctrine, succeed against such hosts of powerful opponents? The answer, the only answer, is found in the fact that truth is mighty, and will prevail against all odds. God sometimes enables one to chase a thousand, and two to put ten thousand to flight. He sometimes chooses the foolish things of this world (that is, those that are esteemed so by men) to confound the wise, and the weak to set at naught the strong. Resting, as Universalism does, on the basis of sound reason, and a rational interpretation of the word of God,appealing not to the passions, but to the intelligence of men, seeking no aid from superstition, from prejudice, or pride, it is impossible that that doctrine should ever have made headway against the force by which it was assailed, had it not possessed an intrinsic power which no false system ever could claim. It was the energy of truth, and, as it would seem, this alone, that carried this doctrine on to victory over the creeds of men. These creeds are fast passing away. The dominant sects may be able to maintain their organizations and their names, but their false doctrines will, and must pass away; and the changes which have taken place since the ministry of Rev. Hosea Ballou commenced, are full proof of this fact.

* See Trumpet and Magazine, vol. vi. p. 120.