3. Mr. P. says "That system which holds the doctrine of eternal punishment leads men to active exertion, to send the gospel to the destitute; but Universalism does not." The last part of this position is also contrary to matter of fact :every exertion made by Universalists to extend the knowledge of their sentiments, furnishes evidence that Mr. P. was incorrect. That Christ and the Apostles possessed an ardent desire to spread the knowledge of divine truth-that they labored diligently and suffered much to accomplish that object, will not be denied: but in their public labors and instructions, they all omitted a certain sentiment which is now considered by many to be of the utmost importance-and which consequently had no influence in exciting their zeal-I mean the doctrine of eternal misery.This they never mentioned. We think many of those who labor to give mankind the knowledge of eternal misery are sincere, but we do not think even heathens would be benefitted by the belief of that truly abominable sentiment-for heathenism itself contains nothing worse! The desire to extend the knowledge of their sentiments is common to all classes of mankind, and it is perfectly absurd for Mr. P. to say Universalism does not lead men to active exertion to send the gospel to the destitute. On another page he says "we can point you to whole townships where Universalism has a complete ascendency." How came this benign doctrine to have a complete ascendency in whole townships, if it does not lead men to active exertions to send the gos

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pel to the destitute? Surely believers in endless misery have not been guilty of preaching Universalism-nor of failing to oppose it, by every means they deemed safe and opinions do not spring up and flourish spontaneously. Did not the venerable John Murray, who was stoned in the pulpit in Boston Mass.; and the indefatigable Elhanan Winchester, who journeyed and preached, when worn down with disease, expose health and life, and leave friends and home to carry the gospel to the destitute? Both of those men possessed Apostolic zeal, diligence and faithfulnessand their labors were crowned with abundant success. The New England and middle States received their ministrations of the gospel of peace, about the time our nation received existence If it were necessary, we could name living preachers of the gospel of universal reconciliation, who have endured, and would cheerfully endure quite as much, to send the gospel to the destitute, as Mr. P. and his coadjutors.

He says "which has the best claim to be considered as actuated by the spirit of Christ and of Paul-the denominations who are planting their missions all over the heathen world, or that one which stays at home and opposes this work ?”— This question gives a false coloring to the subject. Universalists are not opposed to the extension of the knowledge of the gospel of Christwe are opposed to the spread of error in all its forms.

It is unnecessary to particularize, but for the information of Mr. P. and his friends, we now

state, that societies for charitable purposes, and for the relief of the poor, where bodies of Universalists have practically shown that "their system has exerted an influence to render them be'nevolent" are common amongst us. We also think the following to be most excellent counsel, "when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men, verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth, that thine alms may be in SECRET; and thy Father which seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly."

4. Mr. P. says "That system which maintains the doctrine of eternal punishment, often reclaims men from vicious habits, and from a life of sin; but Universalism does not." The latter part of this position is not true. Numerous instances can be furnished, in which men have been reclaimed from vicious habits by the influence of Universalism. The effects of missionary exertions in Canada and the Sandwich Islands' referred to by Mr. P. may not be justly ascribable to the doctrine of eternal punishment. Those who inculcate that awful doctrine generally preach some valuable truths with it. To these truths the salutary influence of their labors should be ascribed--and not to a doctrine so directly calculated to freeze the current of benevolence and harden the human heart, as is the dogma of eternal misery.

Mr. P. asks "Who ever saw a neighborhood,

or village, or town, improved in its moral character, by the introduction of Universalism ?" Many people have seen it. Take one instance.The village of Watertown has been greatly improved in moral character by the influence of Universalism Universalism has been preached more or less here, for the last ten years. Previous to this period, there was much more profaneness, gambling on Sundays and other days, much more drunkenness-much less religious knowledge and religious feeling-much less attention to the stated public worship of God, according to the number of inhabitants, than there is at present. I give it as my deliberate and sober opinion, that a village containing 3000 inhabitants, cannot be found in the State of New-York, where the people generally, are more upright, honest and religious, than the citizens of this village, in which the doctrine of Universalism has been regularly preached, some portion of the time for the last ten years. A very perceptible change for the better has taken place within that period of time. We are fully convinced this change is, in a great measure, owing to the influence of Universalism. These circumstances are sufficient to silence the clamors of our enemies about the immoral tendency of our sentiments.

Mr. P. says "Probably we have all seen some of the fairest characters among Universalists plainly improved by renouncing their own and heartily embracing the opposite system." "Probably they have not. We challenge Mr. P. to name one solitary instance in which "one of the

fairest characters among Universalists" has been "plainly improved by renouncing his own, and heartily erabracing the opposite system."

Mr. P. says "In most cases, where professors of religion become Universalists, they abandon their habits of piety, as a preparation for Universalism-they give up secret prayer, then family prayer, then leave the communion table, then fall into some vices, and then become Universalists. You cannot find one instance, where a man was evidently pious, while a Universalist but where he first forsook his closet of devotion,& then abandoned family prayer, and then left the communion of the church, and then fell into vice, and then became a Presbyterian, and continued vicious-the moral and religious characters of men are never improved....by giving up a belief in eternal punishment, and embracing the doctrine of universal salvation, men often fall into Universalism, as the last step in a process of moral defection; but they never fall into the opposite system by the same process," &c. All this is mere assertion without any proof. But Mr. P. says they are "facts." How do we know these things are facts? Why Mr. P. says so! Such wholesale detraction may pass for its true value. need not measure back to him, what he has so bountifully, and without any just foundation,dealt out to others.

We

5. Mr. P. says "That system which holds the doctrine of eternal punishment, never occasions distress in a dying hour; but Universalism frequently leads to the most distressing apprehen