THE GOLDEN ERA--EXTENSIVE TRAVELING--IN MISSOURI AND KANSAS--TALK
WITH A DEIST IN JEFFERSON CITY--MOSES--THE PROPHETS--REPLIED
TO IN PISGAH--TALK WITH A RUM-SELLER--IN KANSAS CITY--IN
WYANDOTTE--CONVERSATION WITH A CLERGYMAN CONCERNING CHRIST AND HIS
WORK--LECTURED IN LEAVENWORTH--DESTRUCTION OF MAN’S ENEMIES--IN ST.
JOSEPH--THE MERCY OF GOD--IN KINGSTON--RICH MAN AND LAZARUS.
As I have said in a previous chapter, the _Golden Era_, after it passed
out of my hands, was merged into the _Gospel Herald_, a paper published
in Indianapolis, Ind., and St. Louis was without a denominational
paper. This was not contemplated when I disposed of that paper. Mr.
Abbott was confident, that with my assistance as editor, it could be
sustained in St. Louis; but experience taught him otherwise. Although
being well satisfied that a weekly paper could not be supported in St.
Louis, I was confident that a monthly magazine could be, and hence
in 1857 I commenced a monthly periodical, called _Manford’s Monthly
Magazine_. It contained twenty-four pages, and the price was one
dollar per year. By the close of the first volume I had two thousand
subscribers--a pretty good beginning. Mrs. Manford was co-editor,
book-keeper, and generally assisted in mailing the magazine.
I resolved to again canvass Missouri, Illinois, Iowa and Indiana, for
the benefit of the new journal; and from 1857 to the spring of 1861, I
was a large portion of the time on the wing. The _Magazine_ was popular
with our people, and I had no difficulty in obtaining subscribers. The
articles were chiefly doctrinal, explanatory, and answers to the ten
thousand objections usually offered to the liberal faith.
During the first year of its publication, I took a horseback journey up
the Missouri river into Kansas, and was absent nearly all winter. At a
hotel in Jefferson City I had the following conversation with a Deist:
“I believe the Old Testament is full of lies, fables and absurdities.
I would as soon believe ‘Guliver’s Travels’ to be divine as the old
Bible.”
“You are too fast, my friend. Without pretending that the Old Testament
is perfect, I find many excellencies in that book. That Moses, the
principal character of it, had a deep insight into many spiritual
realities, must be conceded by every candid person. He was born,
brought up, educated, and lived till he was eighty years old, in the
midst of the grossest superstition. The Egyptians deified the bull,
the cat, the snake, the crocodile; and many of their other religious
notions corresponded with such debased superstitions. Moses boldly
denounced the whole of their mythological abominations; and declared
that there was only one God, and that he was a spiritual being, and
ruled in heaven and on earth. The Egyptians believed in a formal
judgment for every soul after death; Moses taught that God judgeth in
the earth. The Egyptians maintained that there was a hell for some
and a heaven for others over the river of death; Moses taught on all
occasions that virtue is rewarded, and vice is punished, in this
world. These four tenets are the ground-work, the basis, of Moses’
system. He introduced certain forms and ceremonies to be practiced,
till a superior LIGHT would bless the world, and his countrymen be
more advanced in civilization, and when that Light came they were
laid aside. But his doctrines of one God, who rules the universe, and
rewards virtue and punishes vice, are not obsolete. They are eternal
truths, and you say you believe them. You are then a disciple of Moses,
fool as you say he was. That Moses did not know the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth, is readily admitted; that all he said and
did were not divine, is also admitted; and it is also conceded that
sometimes his spirit did not seem to harmonize with the forgiving
spirit of Christ. But with all his imperfections, he was a man among
men; he was the tallest man of his day, and his brow was bathed in the
rising sun, when the world was yet shrouded in darkness.”
“To that view of Moses I do not much object. But what is called the
history of the Jews, is contradictory, and often much exaggerated.”
“There may be errors in the Bible history of the Jews, but the
main statements are doubtless correct. The writers thereof make no
pretention to inspiration, that I know of. You do not reject the
history of the United States, because some of the writers thereof
contradict each other.”
“Well, there are the pretended prophets; do you think they were God’s
prophets?”
“Many events they predicted have taken place. I believe, sir, that
God has had prophets in all ages and climes. All history, ancient and
modern, is full of the supernatural element. It is found in Grecian,
Roman, European, and American histories. It is found in the life of
Socrates, Plato, Origen, Joan of Arc, Swedenborg, Stirling, Lavater,
Oberlin, Wesley, Luther, Murray, and in the life of innumerable other
worthies of whom the world is not worthy. We find them among the
despised and forsaken. They have been spit upon in all the streets in
the world. They have been burned at the stake as enemies of God and
man. But they cared for none of these things; they knew that they were
walking in the light of heaven, and all the powers of darkness could
not terrify their brave souls.
“We pity the Indian prince’s ignorance of the fact that water by cold
is converted into solid ice. He was sure that such a phenomena was
unnatural, and ‘contrary to all human experience.’ We know though
that it is done; and if we know anything of the history of mankind, we
must admit that it teaches that supernaturalism has been prevalent at
all times. But if we pronounce this revelation of the historic page,
delusion, to be consistent we should call all history imposition, for
the supernatural is as well attested as any statement of history. The
truth is, there is an unseen hand directing all the affairs of the
universe; and man, whether living or dying, in time or in eternity,
is constantly controlled, more or less, by that invisible power. It
is man’s natural condition to be in alliance with the spiritual. When
he is material in all his hopes and aspirations, coarse and brutish,
he is in an unnatural condition, and the spirit of God almost parts
with him, and leaves him nearly alone in his sins. But the pure and
good are exalted to heavenly places, commune with the spirits of the
just, and are enveloped in an halo of glory. Some rise so high, that
the hand of God is on their brow, and then they see visions, dream
dreams, heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out devils. Such are
God’s prophets; such were the Jewish prophets, and the world in all
ages has been blessed with the divine utterances of such godly men and
women. Although their brows were immersed in the sun-light of heaven,
their feet were on this earth, and hence we may expect to find their
revelations sometimes tinged with the darkness of earth.”
Lectured in Pisgah, and a man gave notice that he should reply the
next Sunday. I begged of him to offer his objections while I was in
town; he would not consent to, but said, “On next Sunday I will show
that you deny the Bible, and teach a bundle of lies.” “Name one lie I
have uttered to-night.” “You can not get me into a controversy now.”
Preached in Booneville, and then proceeded to Marshall, where I spoke
twice. Had some talk with a rum-seller.
“Do you think it right to poison and impoverish all you can?”
“I don’t poison or impoverish.”
“You don’t! Every dram you sell poisons and impoverishes somebody. The
body is the habitation built for the soul, made in the image and glory
of God to dwell in; and it is your business from early morn to late at
night, to stand in your den and deal damnation to God’s noble work.
What abominable business for a man to engage in! What a life to live!
What prostitution of time and opportunities! I should think you would
be fearful that the indignant earth would open its jaws and crush you
to atoms.”
“If your doctrine is true I am safe.”
“As my doctrine is true I would not stand in your shoes for all of this
world. You are a curse to yourself, your family, and this town. The
fires that are consuming you, are scorching all with whom you come in
contact.”
“But you preach that all will be saved, and of course I am included.”
“You will not be saved in this world, nor in the world to come, till
you repent of your sins in sackcloth and ashes, and by the grace of
God are thoroughly regenerated. You will have to work out your own
salvation; and judging from your business, that you occupy a very low
plane in this world, morally and spiritually, I fear you will fill a
low one in the other land, and will have to work long and hard ere you
will know much about heaven. I advise you not to credit the slang of
Orthodox preachers, that according to Universalism all will be saved
any how. We believe in nothing of that kind. The pure and good only
are saved in this world, and the pure and good only will be saved in
the immortal world. Now, my friend, permit me to give you one word
of advice--sell no more liquor, drink no more liquor, engage in some
honest calling, and live soberly, righteously and godly the remainder
of your days. By doing so, you will live better, die happier--you will
know something of heaven in this world.”
Lectured in Miami, then crossed the Missouri river to Dewitt, where
I spoke several times. A society was subsequently formed there, but
the war broke it up. Held meetings in all the towns on both sides of
the river to St. Joseph. In Kansas City lectured five times. This is
destined to be a large place. It occupies a central position, and right
in the way of trade and travel. It is on the bank of the Missouri
river, and the Pacific railroad passes through the town. Other roads
are contemplated, some or all of which will doubtless be built. It is
also in the midst of one of the finest agricultural regions of the
world.
Lectured in Wyandotte, Kansas. This town joins Kansas City, and like
two drops, they will become one--commercially, at least. Its site is
magnificent, the ground gradually ascending from the river, and ere
long it will be a rich and populous place. An Episcopal minister asked
me various questions concerning the doctrine every where spoken against.
“Do your people think Jesus Christ was a human being?”
“We think he was. He certainly possessed a human constitution and
organization; was subject to hunger and thirst; was weary and cold,
and was liable to the pains and agonies ‘flesh is heir to.’ He grew
from childhood to youth, and thence to manhood. Hence the New Testament
says, ‘For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the
feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we
are, yet without sin.’ Heb. iv. 15. ‘But made himself of no reputation,
and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness
of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.’ Phil. ii.
7, 8. ‘And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.’ John i. 14.
He was a man, and would have died ultimately had he lived in an age of
justice and toleration.”
“What was the object of his death?”
“I will answer in the language of the Bible. ‘For Christ also hath once
suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to
God.’ 1 Peter iii. 18. ‘For it became him, for whom are all things, and
by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the
captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.’ Heb. ii. 10.
‘For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death
of his Son.’ Rom. v. 10. Jesus came, not to appease God’s wrath, or to
quench the fire of hell.
“’Twas not to quench eternal fire,
That Jesus came and spilt his blood,
Not to appease his Father’s ire,
But to reconcile the world to God.’
“His noble example in dying for man, has strengthened the martyr’s
faith on many a scaffold, and when chained to many a fiery stake. And
he died like them, a martyr to truth and righteousness. He _taught_
love to God and man; he _lived_ what he taught, and he died confirming
his _teaching_ and his _life_. That precept, that life, and that death,
have been a power in the world for eighteen hundred years, and they
will be a power in this world in all coming time.”
“But the Bible talks about man being saved by the _blood_, or _death_
of Christ. Do you think there was no special efficacy in his blood and
death?”
“We say that our fathers died to save us from the oppression of Great
Britain. In the same sense Christ died to save us from the bondage of
sin, and to cleanse us from all allegiance to despotism. Blood from
any one’s veins can only cleanse in a figurative sense. It is the
truth which Jesus taught that cleanseth the soul; and as his blood was
shed in attestation of the truth, the Bible refers figuratively to
that blood as the efficient cause of our deliverance and salvation. In
this sense he ‘bore our sins and our iniquities,’ was ‘wounded for our
transgressions,’ and ‘by his stripes we are healed.’”
“There are men in high places in our church who entertain similar
views, but in my estimation, they are erroneous. I accept the creed
of the church, that Jesus was God, and of all the sequences of that
proposition.”
Proceeded to Leavenworth, where I delivered four discourses. This
was then a small town, but is now a large city, and destined to be
a very important one. We ought to have a minister at work there. A
large congregation could soon be gathered. There are many influential
families who would give such a man their hearty support. While here I
heard the following conversation in an adjoining room at an hotel:
“Did you attend the Universalist meeting last night?”
“No; I have no faith in the creed of that church. What was the
preacher’s text?”
“‘I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,’ were the words. I must
confess, I was much interested. It was the first Universalist sermon
I ever heard, and I am inclined to think it was the first _gospel_
sermon I ever heard. I have, all my life, heard about the abominations
of Universalism, and I supposed it was a mass of corruption. But if
that man last night preached Universalism, I don’t know but I must be a
Universalist.”
“What did he say that took you so?”
“Among other things he said, salvation was not from hell, but from sin,
from error, from mental darkness; that Jesus came not to save us from
eternal burnings, but to make us good fathers, mothers, brothers,
sisters, children, neighbors, friends, citizens. There is good sense in
that.”
“What did he say about the gospel?”
“That it is good news from God to man--that all sin, suffering and
death will be ultimately abolished, and that God will be all in all. He
said, that the meaning of the word gospel is good news, and that the
whole system corresponds with the signification of the word.”
“Did he say anything about hell? Of course he did not, as there is no
hell in his faith.”
“He did not say much on that subject, but gave notice that this evening
he would give the Bible doctrine of hell, and you had better go and
hear what he has to say. The Orthodox view of religion never satisfied
me, and I am bound to look into this new faith.”
A society was organized at the close of one of the meetings, and this
man united himself with it.
Spent two days in Weston, Mo., and preached twice. Agreeably to
request, I delivered a discourse on the destruction of the enemies
to God and man, and took for my text, “The last enemy, death, shall
be destroyed.” 1 Cor. xv. I remarked, 1. Sin is an enemy to man, but
that is to be destroyed. “Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the
_sin_ of the world.” “For this purpose was the Son of God manifested
that he might destroy the _works_ of the devil.” Sin, then, is to be
destroyed. 2. The devil is to be destroyed. “Forasmuch as the children
are partakers of flesh and blood, he also took part of the same; that
through death he might destroy him that hath the power of death,
that is, the _devil_.” Thus, the devil, and all his works, are to be
destroyed. 3. Pain is an enemy to man, and that is to be destroyed.
“There shall be no more _pain_, neither shall there be _sorrow_ nor
_crying_, for the former things are passed away.” How false is the
doctrine of endless suffering, endless sorrowing, endless weeping. 4.
Hell is an enemy; but the Scriptures teach, that it is to be destroyed.
“O, _hell_, I will be thy destruction.” And an apostle asks the
triumphant question, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, (_hades_
or _hell_) where is thy victory?” 5. Death is also an enemy, and it is
to be destroyed. We read, “He will swallow up _death_ in victory, and
the Lord God will wipe tears from all faces.” “There shall be no more
_death_;” and the text asserts that, “The last enemy, _death_, shall
be destroyed.” But how can death be destroyed if millions of mankind
are to be eternally the victims of death? In the language of Dr. Adam
Clarke, “Death is conquered, hell disappointed, the devil confounded,
and sin totally destroyed. Amen! Hallelujah! The Lord God, omnipotent
reigneth! He shall reign forever and ever!”
Notwithstanding this distinct and emphatic testimony, it is contended
by many people, with the Bible in their hands, that sin, pain, death,
hell, and the devil, will eternally prey on countless multitudes of our
race; and if you intimate to them that those enemies to our peace and
hope will be destroyed, they cry, delusion, imposture, infidelity. But
I trust in God, and believe in the divine promise of the end of all
evil, and the bringing in of “everlasting righteousness.”
I also lectured in St. Joseph three evenings. At the close of one of my
meetings, a preacher remarked, “You have been talking about the mercy
of God, but will not God’s wrath last as long as his mercy?” I replied,
without stopping to inquire what is meant by the wrath or anger of
God, the Bible emphatically declares that “His anger endureth for a
_moment_, but his mercy from everlasting to everlasting.” Again, “He
retaineth _not his anger forever_, because he delighteth in mercy.”
“I will _not contend forever, neither will I be always wroth_.” Why
not? “Because the spirit would fail before me, and the souls which
I have made.” Can you give as good a reason why he will be always
wroth, why he will contend forever, as he has why he will not? Pain
tends to destroy the sufferer. Let a person endure intense agony,
and if medical aid does not relieve him, death will soon step in and
deliver the sufferer. This is a merciful provision of our heavenly
Father, to prevent very protracted suffering. The passage just cited
teaches, that God will not permit any one to suffer long because that
suffering would end his existence. “The spirit would fail before me,
and the souls I have made.” The soul could not endure _endless wrath_;
it would fail, or cease to be. Jeremiah asks the question, “Will he
reserve his anger forever? Will he keep it to the end?” Now observe
the answer, “I am merciful saith the Lord, and will _not keep anger
forever_.” Again it is said, “For his anger endureth for a _moment_,
weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” The
prophet Isaiah records, “In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for
a _moment_; but with _everlasting_ kindness will I have mercy on thee,
saith the Lord.” Again it is said, “The Lord will not cast off forever,
but though he cause grief, yet he will have compassion according to the
multitude of his tender mercies.” We read the following, “My mercy will
keep forevermore.” “For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting.”
In one Psalm it is twenty-six times asserted that “The mercy of the
Lord _endureth forever_.” Hence it is said, “God is _rich_ in mercy.”
“_Plenteous_ in mercy.” We also read of his mercy in the plural form.
They are said to be “great,” “manifold,” and “over all his works.”
The apostle Paul believed in God’s mercy, for he says, “For he hath
concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have MERCY ON ALL!”
From all this precious testimony, I conclude that the “wrath of
God,” let it mean what it may, will continue but a _moment_, while
his mercy is as endless as his own existence. The mother may forget
the son of her love, but God will never forget the souls he has made.
God is merciful to us to-day, he will be to-morrow, and forever. No
circumstance or place can turn his love into hatred, his goodness into
cruelty. His mercy blesses us in this world, and it will bless us in
the world to come. Death cannot change the great love God has for the
soul.
Delivered a series of discourses in Kingston, on the following
subjects:--“The Character of God”--“Man as he Is and is to
Be”--“Rewards and Punishments”--“The Future Life”--“The Restitution.”
Our faith was new to the people, as a discourse in its defense had not
been before delivered in the county. A Baptist minister replied to
one of the sermons; he had traveled ten miles to attend the meeting.
He dwelt on the Rich Man and Lazarus. Denied it being a parable, and
said it was a literal account of two men in this world, and world to
come--one in heaven and the other in hell--and that their fate in
eternity would be the fate of all mankind--part would ascend to heaven,
and the balance would sink into the regions of eternal fire.
I replied as follows: If the gentleman is correct in asserting that the
text is to be understood literally, the following are FACTS, concerning
the Hereafter: 1. Hell is a _place_, not a state or condition, but a
place; has a local habitation as well as a name; has length, width,
depth and highth; in fact, is the penitentiary of the universe. Hell
is called in the passage, “this _place_ of torment.” 2. Hell is a
_fiery furnace_. The rich man says, “I am tormented in these _flames_,”
and begs for a drop of water to cool his tongue. 3. “This place of
torment,” this region of fire, is within speaking distance of heaven.
Abraham and the rich man had a talk on some interesting topics.
Heaven and hell, then, are neighbors. They are located side by side;
the division fence being a gulf. 4. If the fate of those two men is
to be the fate of all mankind, the world is to be divided. Parents
and children, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, friends and
neighbors, are to be eternally separated--part to be in heaven, and
part in hell.
Now, I want to know if there could be any happiness in such a heaven.
Could parents be happy seeing their children in hell, as Abraham saw
the “rich man?” Could children be happy, beholding the mother who bore
them, and the father who loved them, writhing in the liquid flames,
the cursed of God, and the sport of devils? Could the wife behold
the beloved partner of her life, suffering immortal agony in the
fiery furnace, and rejoice and sing praise? I read a few days since a
Presbyterian Sabbath School report, and the writer states, that “heaven
will be made up of remnants of ruined families.” Nearly every family
will be ruined--a remnant only will escape the dreadful wreck. To
expect happiness in such a heaven, would be like expecting oranges to
grow on icebergs. But if the gentleman is right in his interpretation
of the passage before us, there is just such a heaven, and just such a
hell; and about every family will be irredeemably ruined, and eternally
divided. The nearest approach to such a shocking scene, is a band of
naked and painted savages, laughing and dancing around the blazing
stake, at which their victims are burning. There is your heaven, and
your hell, on a small scale.
But to prevent the denizens of heaven becoming _insane_ at such a
frightful spectacle, it is said, their _memory_ will be destroyed;
they will not remember they ever had dear friends on earth. Yes, and
they will have to have their _eyes_ put out, for Abraham could see the
rich man. They will also have to be as deaf as adders, else the cries,
groans and lamentations of hell will ever be sounding in their ears.
But it must be evident to every reflecting mind, that the text is not
to be understood _literally_, but _figuratively_. It is doubtless a
parable, a fable, and its _moral_ is one of the most interesting and
instructive lessons in the New Testament.
I have not room here for the interpretation I gave the passage; but
the preacher, at the close, admitted that the view presented seemed
reasonable, and was, perhaps, correct. A rum-seller here told me, that
he had been through religion, and was satisfied it was all humbug. I
told him that he would, perhaps, be improved if religion should go
_through_ him.
I also lectured several times in Chillicothe. My subjects were,
“Sin”--“Death”--“Hell”--“Salvation.” One man remarked to me, after
hearing the discourse on Sin,
“Jesus says, ‘If you die in your sins, where God and Christ are, ye
cannot come.’”
“My friend, there is no such passage in the Bible.”
“Ah, but there is,” said he; “I have read it many a time.”
“But you are mistaken. The passage you quoted at, reads thus: ‘Then
said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and ye
shall die in your sins; whither I go ye cannot come.’ John viii. 21.
You perceive the true reading is very different from your version.
These words were addressed to the Jews. A short time afterwards he
had occasion to address his disciples; and mark what he said to them.
‘Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me;
and as I said to the Jews, Whither I go ye cannot come, _so say I
unto you_.’ John xiii. 33. Now, if Jesus when he told the Jews that
they could not go to him, meant they should not inherit immortal
blessedness, he must have meant the same when he addressed the
disciples, for you perceive, he said precisely the same to them. But
nothing of the kind was intended when he addressed friend or foe. He
only meant in both cases, that they could not much longer follow him
from place to place, as they had been in the habit of doing. He was
about to depart from this world, and they would have to remain on earth.
“Many of the Jews did die in their sins, but it does not thence follow
that they are condemned to sin forever. Because a man sins this year it
does not follow he will sin all his life-time. God is not so in love
with sin that he will compel a soul to sin eternally because this life
was mis-spent. What would be thought of a farmer who compelled a man to
cut down every tree in his orchard because he had cut down one tree?
And will the God of wisdom and goodness, compel all to sin eternally
who die sinners? If yea, then nearly all mankind will be forever lost,
for nearly all die sinners in some degree. The law is, ‘Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul and strength, and thy
neighbor as thyself.’ Now, who obeys that law? But few indeed, I
fear. Nearly all mankind, then, will be forever lost if there is no
redemption for those who die sinners.
“But the good Book teaches, that sin will not debase the soul always;
but rather that there is to be ‘an end of sin.’ Dan. ix. Transferring
all sin and all sinners to hell would not exactly be destroying sin nor
converting sinners to God. It would simply be removing sin and sinners
to another locality--that is all. Transporting all the drunkards from
St. Louis to Chicago, would not be destroying intemperance. It would
only be removing the curse from one place to another--nothing more.
But when the Bible talks about sin being _destroyed, making an end_ of
sin, it means just what it says. It does not mean that it will _not_ be
destroyed, will _not_ end its reign.”
From Chillicothe I journeyed to Dewitt. I well remember of traveling
that road at another time. It was one of the hottest days of summer,
and I rode on horseback, from early morn till late at night, in the
blazing sun, without a particle of food. About mid-day, I called at a
house to get a drink of water, and the good woman conducted me to the
back porch where were two buckets of ice and water--one bucket for
the white folks, and the other for the negroes, and told me to keep
myself to the refreshing contents of the former. Never shall I forget
that blessed bucket, and its thrice blessed treasure. I thought of the
spring in the desert, gushing forth its cooling draught; of
“The old oaken bucket,
The moss covered bucket,
The iron bound bucket,
That hung in the well,”
And of Jesus resting, as I was resting, at the Samaritan well.
After traveling about one week more, I reached home after a long
absence; having delivered seventy-five discourses, and rode some seven
hundred miles--all on horseback.