APPENDIX.

THUS ends the narrative of the life of this most extraordinary man the man, who, under God, may justly be regarded as the father of the Universalist Order in this country. The attentive reader will have observed many peculiarities in the character he has so ingeniously drawn of himself; and it will be surprising if any can rise from the perusal of this little volume without being impressed with a sense of the fact, that, even in those peculiarities, there is much to admire. He seems to have been eminently well qualified for the arduous labors he was called to perform. No man could have done more or done it better-few could have done so much in advancing the cause of impartial grace. The blessing of God seems to have attended and followed his exertions. Many are yet alive who were once favored with the privilege of listening to his instructive communications; and they rank high among the ardent and steadfast friends of the truth, as it is in Jesus.

After a lapse of little more than half a century from the time when he first began his public labors in this country, it becomes most deeply interesting to know how far the cause he advocated, has advanced-whether the seed which he scattered abroad, fell on stony places, or on good ground; and we are tempted to state a few facts in relation to the past prosperity and present condition of Universalism in this country, with the view of marking its progress, that after generations may learn not to despise 'the day of small things.'

In the places where the stated labors of the venerated Murray were enjoyed, the sentiment has continued to advance, and is now permanently established. In Gloucester, where he suffered much, and where, we believe, the first regularly constituted church of the order was collected, there are now five societies, three of which enjoy stated preaching, and are examples to the believers in all things. Many, who once listened to his eloquent illustrations of truth, and who were inspired with the hopes of a blissful immortality by his preaching, are yet alive, and are 'ready to give to every man that asketh, a reason of the hope that is in them.' They remain steadfast in the faith once de

livered to the saints, and abound in a well founded and peace giving confidence in the impartial grace and love of God. We shun not inquiry. We ask the Christian world to look at the daily walk and conversation-the_steadfastness and intelligence-the zeal and fidelity of those early converts to the doctrine of the Restitution, and then to decide upon its tendency. We will not stop here. We ask Christians of all denominations to look at the influence they have exerted upon the community, and especially upon their children, and then say how far the fears of their opponents--not to say their persecutors-have been real

ized.

The society in Hanover Street, Boston, where Mr. Murray labored several years, and where his useful life terminated has enjoyed uninterrupted prosperity. The house in which his voice was heard with so much delight, is yet occupied by a large and highly respectable congregation, under the pastoral care of Rev. Sebastian Streeter. From this have sprung three other societies—one under the care of Rev. Hosea Ballou, one enjoying the labors of Rev. Paul Dean, who was formerly colleague with Mr. Murray, and the other, a society recently formed in South Boston, favored with the devoted exertions of Rev. Benjamin Whittemore. All these are in a flourishing condition. To these may be added, as having grown out of the first Universalist society in Boston, one at Charlestown, one at Roxbury, one at Cambridge, and one at Malden-all within four miles of the city.

But this gives but a faint idea of the spread and prosperity of the doctrines he taught. The number of ministers now actually engaged in defending and promulgating the doctrine of the final reconciliation and happiness of all mankind, cannot be less than three hundred. The number of societies we have no means of ascertainingdoubtless it far exceeds the number of preachers. Besides all this, the principles which distinguished the early promulgator of glad tidings, have spread and are spreading throughout our happy country, in hundreds of places where the voice of a preacher of the order was never heard. Nine or ten periodicals are now extensively patronised, and are eminently successful in disseminating the knowledge of the truth. Thus are we enabled, on presenting to the public a new edition of the life of Murray, to congratulate our brethren on the success of the principles, on account of which he labored and suffered reproach. The pleasure of the Lord has truly prospered in the thing whereto he sent it. ED.