ime centary, e time against England, Ire Flanders, Sicily ained with the Spain, between than 34,658 m effigy: 2 r prison for life; confiscated, all ig a total of 632the Holy Inqui of Geneva, caused nd pious divine to e made of green In 1555, Latimer, d many other emider of Mary, queen trocious crimes, to me nature, too e, were all commit ndless ndless punish elled to the inquiry, ave prevented these John Calvin, the ectors of the Inquisi om they caused to with themselves, d of God, and that be mall error, and co themselves to an in en, could they have uelty towards them Cavendish 000760208 2 934 moves all the restraints which religion imposes on the corrupt passions of the human heart, and opens wide the flood-gate of iniquity and sin; and hence the necessity of a belief in the opposite doctrine, as a barrier against vice, and a preventive of transgression, and crime of every description. But let us inquire, has this belief prevented crimes in the world? This inquiry is important, but it is painful. It is truly painful to speak of the wickedness and the crimes of professing christians and gladly would we cast a veil of impervious darkness, and everlasting oblivion over some parts of the history of past ages, would justice to the cause of divine truth permit it to be done; but it will not; and we are compelled, in self-defence to meet our opposers on their own ground. And whilst we contemplate the attrocious crimes perpetrated by persons calling themselves the followers of Jesus, let us . humbly pray God to preserve us from all temptations to evil. 2 Passing over the events narrated in Eclesiastical history previous to the period of the Reformation, during which time rivers of human blood were shed in wars which were waged by Christians against Pagans on account of what was called religion; it is impossible to contemplate, without emotions of horror, the crimes which have been perpetrated since that period, by those who professed to be actuated in their conduct by a regard for the religion of Jesus.— In Holland and the Netherlands, while these States were under the domion of Spain, from fifty to one hundred thousand Protestants suffered death, for their religion. On the 24th of August, 1572, commenced in France the horrid massacre of St. Bartholomew, in which no less than 70,000 inhabitants were murdered in cold blood by the Catholics. Afterwards, in the same ċentary, during the reign of Louis XIV. a persecution, attended with still greater cruelty, was commenced and carried on for a considerable time against the Protestants; in which many thousands of all ages, sexes, and conditions, suffered all which the unfeeling barbarity of their persecutors could inflict upon them. The soils of England, Ireland, Scotland, Portugal, Italy, Flanders, Sicily and Sardinia, have also been stained with the blood of Christian Martyrs. In Spain, between the years 1481 and 1820, no less than 34,658 were burnt alive; 18,049 burnt in effigy; 288,214 condemned to the gallies or prison for life; and the estates of 291,450 were confiscated, all for their religious belief; making a total of 632,371 victims to what was called the Holy Inquisition. In 1552, John Calvin of Geneva, caused Michael Servetus, a learned and pious divine to be burnt alive at a slow fire made of green wood, on a charge of heresy. In 1555, Latimer, Ridley, Rogers, Philpot, and many other eminent divines were burnt, by order of Mary, queen of England. These most attrocious crimes, together with others of the same nature, too numerous to mention at this time, were all committed by zealous believers in endless punishment; and we are irresistibly impelled to the inquiry, would not a contrary belief have prevented these crimes? Had Queen Mary, John Calvin, the Popes of Rome, and the directors of the Inquisition believed that those whom they caused to suffer death were, equally with themselves, objects of the unchanging love of God, and that he would finally purify them from all error, and constitute them joint heirs with themselves to an immortal inheritance in heaven, could they have exercised such unfeeling cruelty towards them? I leave it with you, my hearers, to say, whether the doctrine of endless, unmerciful punishment can be cleared from the charge of all this wickedness and bloodshed. But to come nearer home, and to circumstances with which we are better acquainted ;-Was it a belief in universal salvation which caused that spirit of persecution in England, that drove our ancestors from the home and the graves of their fathers; and compelled them to seek for safety and peace in a far distant and wilderness land? Did a heart-felt belief in this doctrine induce these same "pilgrim fathers,"as soon as they themselves were freed from oppression, to hang witches, whip Baptists, and banish Quakers? and does this belief produce that spiritual pride, and wicked intolerance which are so conspicuous in the conduct of the leading orthododox clergy of the present day? Let experience and common sense answer these questions. There is another fact, which is of so much importance in the illustration of our subject, that I cannot pass it over in silence. In the autumn of 1824; the state prison in the city of New York contained sSIX HUNDRED AND TWEETY-THREE Convicts. At this time, a clergyman, accompanied by one of the overseers of the prison, visited this immense reservoir of guilt, for the sole purpose of ascertaining the religious sentiments of its wretched inmates. Each prisoner was interrogated on this point; and every one declared himself a believer in the doctrine of endless punishment ! Whenever a Universalist is detected in any crime, our opposers are extremely apt to exclaim,- -see now, the fruits of Universalism,nothing better could be reasonably expected from a person professing and believing such a licentious doctrine. But does not the fact now |