Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 1.djvu/322

 314

��UNIVERSALISM IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.

��an Calvinists. Universalists were regard- ed as heretics on several points of doc- trine by the older denominations, and they were charged with holding a faith false in theory and deleterious in prac- tice — not authorized by the teachings of the Bible, and dangerous to the morals of its professors — " leading thousands of immortal souls to hell." How the only way left for Universalists to gain a per- manent footing was to live down the pre- judice and opposition arrayed against them, and to keep before the people the great truths of the gospel, constituting the basis of the revelation that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. This they have done, winning triumphs for their cause in this State and the country at large. The progress this sentiment has made since its rise in New England and in this State, has been, in- deed, considerable ; perhaps as great as any could reasonably expect under the circumstances.

We were not favored by having a large proportion of the old and rich Orthodox Congregational parishes, with their pas- tors, turned over to us, as were the Uni- • tarians in Massachusetts and in some parts of this State, with one of the best endowed colleges in the country thrown in. Instead of all this ecclesiastical pow- er and educational prestige, the Univer- salist denomination have had to create their own parishes, as a general thing, and build up and endow their own schools and colleges. It is, however, true that converts to the faith of univer- sal restoration have come to us from all the opposing denominations — men of learning and high Christian character, who, like St. Paul, built up very success- fully what they once labored to destroy. Before 1824, the doctrine of Universal- ism had been preached in almost every town in the State, and believers were to be found in all these towns, but in only a few of them were there Universalists enough to form societies and build places of worship. In that year there was but one preacher of this doctrine in all West- ern New Hampshire, and but one society in the State that had constant preaching, and that was the good old society in Portsmouth. There was no society in

��Concord, Manchester or Nashua, and none in other places where now there are large and flourishing congregations and sabbath schools, also a constant ministry. We have now a State Conven- tion (formed in 1832) and two Associa- tions, viz. : Rockingham and Cheshire, ( formed in 1824 ). There are thirty parishes, embracing 1,704 families; four- teen churches, with 588 members ; twen- ty-four sabbath schools, having 2,040 members ;. twenty-three church edifices, and a total valuation of parish property of $183,400.

In looking back from the present stand- point through the last twenty-five years, it might seem hardly satisfactory that there should not be more organized Uni- versalism in New Hampshire. The friends of this cause, however, should be thankful that something has been done in this State to advance the kingdom of the Saviour of the world — something more than the multiplying of churches and societies of this name.

The sentiments and spirit of Universal- ism have been working marvelously in bringing Universalists and Evangelicals nearer together. They are in many re- spects vastly nearer together now than they were fifty years ago. On temper- ance and funeral occasions Universalist clergymen are invited to join with Meth- odist, Baptist and Congregationalist cler- gymen. They sit together in the sacred desk, and pray together as Christian men should. It was once quite different. Moreover ,in some instances the Evangeli- cal minister is asked to officiate at the funeral of a member of a Universalist family, and, on the other hand, Univer- salist clergymen have been called upon to tender the consolations of religion at the funerals of members of the Orthodox church. The writer of this was lately invited to perform, in an Orthodox church, the funeral service of a church member. This could not have been done fifty years ago. There is a still nearer approach of the Universalist denomina- tion and the Orthodox in the character of their public ministrations, or preaching. The Universalist clergymen have done well in being less contr oversial and more spiritual in their preaching — making ear*

�� �