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that work, we still adhere to, and always shall. persons are Universalists who truly believe in the salvation of all mankind through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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It makes no difference what are the individual's views concerning punishment, if he holds the doctrine above described. There are some Universalists who hold to punishment after death; nevertheless, we are glad to hail them as Universalists. They agree with us in our views of the great consummation, all punishment, in their view, is disciplinary; and they denounce punishment, either in this world or the next, having any other object, as cruel and unjust. Certain persons have endeavoured to give a very narrow signification to the word Universalist, as signifying only those who do not hold to punishment beyond the grave; but they have repeatedly been told, by Universalists of both classes, that such a restricted sense of the word could not be admitted.

We wish it distinctly understood, that Universalists admit of no distinction in the denomination, on account of difference of opinion on the subject of punishment. They are all one, they all go for one thing; and may God to all eternity preserve them one.

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Amen.

IV. Although Universalists do not believe in the authority of man-made creeds, it became necessary, in the year 1803, for them to make a public declaration of their sentiments. The Supreme Court of New Hampshire had decreed, that Congregationalists and Universalists, in law, were 'one and the same denomination; and that Universalists were therefore liable to be taxed to the support of Congregational parishes. To meet this extraordinary state of things, the General Convention of Universalists, in session at Strafford, Vt., in 1802, appointed a committee to report a form of faith, to show, that Universalists differed widely from Congregationalists in their religious views. This committee, consisting of Z. Streeter, G. Richards, H. Ballou, W. Ferriss, and Z. Lathe, reported at the ses

sion in Winchester, N. H., the following year. On this committee were persons who believed in future punishment, and those who did not ;-but a majority, we think, of the former. They endeavoured to frame their articles of faith in such a way, as that both classes of Universalists might cordially unite in them. The articles were drawn by the venerated Ferriss, himself a believer in future punishment, and were in the following words:

PROFESSION OF BELIEF.

"1. We believe, that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments contain a revelation of the character of God, and of the duty, interest, and final destination of mankind.

"2. We believe there is one God, whose nature is love; revealed in one Lord Jesus Christ, by one Holy Spirit of grace, who will finally restore the whole family of mankind to holiness and happiness.

"3. We believe, that holiness and true happiness are inseparably connected; and that believers ought to maintain order, and practise good works, for these things are good and profitable unto men."

This Profession of Belief the Convention has never altered; and we believe it is considered unexceptionable by Universalists in general.

Such then, in brief, are the sentiments of Universalists. But, lest some of our readers should object to the brevity of the above Profession, we shall introduce in this place a form of faith, designed to express the general sentiments of Universalists, drawn up several years since, by Rev. Dolphus Skinner, of Utica, N. Y., and first published in connexion with his "Letters to Aikin & Lansing," Utica, N. Y., 1833.

BIBLE CREED.

ARTICLE 1. Concerning God and Christ. We believe that the Lord our God is ONE Lord,

that we

all have ONE FATHER; ONE GOD hath created us,

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nations of men, to that though there

and hath made of one blood all dwell on all the face of the earth; be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there are gods many and lords many,) yet to us there is but ONE GOD, THE FATHER, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him, (for God hath made him both Lord and Christ,) for there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. Deut. vi. 4; Mark xii.

29; Mal. ii. 10; Acts ii. 36, viii. 5, 6; 1 Tim. ii. 5, 6.

and xvii. 26; 1 Cor.

ARTICLE 2. Concerning the character of God. We believe the Lord our God is the Almighty, and of great power, that his understanding (or wisdom) is infinite, that he is love itself, good unto all, and his tender mercies over all his works, that he loveth all the things that are, and abhorreth nothing that his hands have made, for he never would have created any thing to have hated it, - that he is a just God and a Saviour, who will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, and who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, that in him mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have embraced each other. Gen. xvii. 1; Ps. cxlvii. 5, and lxxxv. 10, and cxlv. 9; Isa. xlv. 21; 1 Tim. ii. 4 ; Eph. i. 11; 1 John iv. 8, 16.

ARTICLE 3. Concerning the mission and mediation of Christ. We believe God sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world, that to this end, (as he loved both his Son and the world,) he gave all things into his hand, even power over all flesh, that he might give eternal life to as many as the Father hath given him, and that all that the Father gave him shall so come to him as not to be cast out, that, as he tasted death for every man, and is a propitiation for the sins of the whole world, he shall see of the travail of his soul and be satisthat as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall

fied,

-

all be made alive, that, having brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel, he shall continue to reign until death, the last enemy, is destroyed, and all things are subdued unto him; till every knee shall bow and every_tongue confess him Lord, to the glory of God the Father, and, that then he will deliver up the reconciled kingdom to the Father, that God may be all in all. 1 John ii. 2, and iv. 14; John iii. 35; vi. 37 ; xvii. 2; Heb. ii. 9'; Isa. liii. 11; 1 Cor. xv. 22, 24-28; 2 Tim. i. 10; Phil. ii. 10, 11.

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ARTICLE 4. Concerning the motive to obedience, &c. We believe it is our duty to love God, because he first loved us, that, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another, — that the goodness of God leadeth to repentance, that the grace of God, that bringeth salvation to all men, hath appeared, teaching us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, and that those who believe in God ought to be careful to maintain good works; for these things are good and profitable unto MEN. 1 John iv. 11; 19; Rom. ii. 4; Titus ii. 11, 12, and iii. 8.

ARTICLE 5. Concerning the reward of obedience. We believe, that great peace have they who love God's law, and nothing shall offend them, they are like trees planted by the rivers of water, that bring forth their fruit in season; their leaf, also, shall not wither; and, whatsoever they do shall prosper, that wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace, that she is a tree of life to them that lay hold of her, and happy is every one that retaineth her, that Christ's yoke is easy and his burden is light, and all who come to him find rest to their souls, - that we which have believed do enter into rest, that, though God is the Saviour of all men, he is especially so of the believer, and, that whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, and is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. Ps. i. 3, and cxix. 166; Prov.

iii. 17, 18; Matt. xi. 28-30; Heb. iii. 3; 1 Tim. iv. 10; James i. 25.

ARTICLE 6. Concerning punishment for disobediWe believe the way of the transgressor is

ence.

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hard, that the wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt, for there is no peace, saith our God, to the wicked, — that he that doeth wrong, shall receive for the wrong which he hath done, and there is no respect of persons, that God will render to every man according to his deeds, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile. Prov. xiii. 15; Isa. lvii. 20, 21; Matt. xvi. 27; Rom. ii. 6, 9; Col. iii. 25.

ARTICLE 7. Concerning the limitation and remedial design of punishment. We believe the Lord will not cast off forever; but, though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies, that he will not contend forever, nor be always wroth, lest the spirit should fail before him, and the souls he has made, that, although he may apparently forsake his children for a small moment, yet with great mercies will he gather them, in a little wrath, he may hide his face from them for a small moment, but with everlasting kindness will he have mercy on them, and heal them, and lead them also, and restore comforts unto them, that whom he loveth he chasteneth, (and he loveth and chasteneth all,) for their profit, that they may be partakers of his holiness, and be enabled afterwards to say, "before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept thy word." Lam. iii. 31, 32; Isa. liv. 7, 8, and lvii. 16-18; Heb. xii. 7-11; Psalm lxxxix. 30-35, and cxix. 67.

ARTICLE 8. Concerning the Scriptures, the doctrines they teach, and the duties they enjoin. We believe, that all Scripture, given by inspiration of God, is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and instruction in righteousness, that the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men

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