7. "Do Universalists believe in praying for the dead? I think not."

ANS. We think not also. But how came you to find it out?

8. "Do they pray for the Salvation of Enoch and Elijah? If not, then all men in this verse cannot embrace all mankind without an exception." p. 118.

ANS. The meaning of the word all, must be determined by the nature of the subject to which it is applied.All men for whom we are to pray, are those alive upon the earth; for we are to pray that they may lead peaceably lives in all godliness and honesty. Thus the nature of the subject determines the meaning of the term. That God will have all men to be saved is a universal truth-that is, it is true of all men. In this instance, as in the former, the nature of the subject determines the meaning of the term.

9. "I would inform Universalists that when I pray for the salvation of the wicked, I pray conditionally, that is, I pray God to save them if they turn from their wickedness; and I pray in faith, firmly believing that they will be saved IF they repent and reform. Still I do not pray for all men universally in this sense." p. 118.

ANS. A marvellous feat that faith of yours, truly.Do you believe, reader, that Mr. Hall actually does firmly believe the wicked will be saved IF they repent and reform? It may be so; but we can't help thinking it is very strange !

"I would inform Universalists that when I pray for the salvation of the wicked, I pray CONDITIONALLY." Is this the way Mr. Hall takes to inform the public that he actually does pray sometimes? Very modest certainly! But why spend his breath for nothing? Does he

not know the wicked are certain to be saved if they repent and reform whether he prays for it or not?

He had better save his breath for the more congenial work of villifying Universalists!

10. "But it is contended that the verses immediately following the text are in favor of Universalism: "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." 1. Tim. ii. 5, 6. It is assumed because Christ gave himself a ransom for all, therefore all will be ransomed. But a ransom may be prepared, and yet men never be ransomed, because they will not accept it." p. 118

ANS. We will consign the objector to the tender mercies of Dr. Adam Clarke: and the Campbellite and Methodist shall fight it out between themselves, as they have often done before. The Dr. says: "As God is the God and Father of all; so he gave himself a ransom for all i. e., FOR ALL THAT GOD MADE! consequently for EVERY human soul [Enoch and Elijah, not excepted, Mr. Hall. For there is no way given under heaven nor among men whereby we must be saved.[Acts iv. 12.] unless we could suppose human souls of which God is not the Creator; for the argument of the apostle is plainly this: 1. There is one God-2. This God is the Creator of ALL-3. He has made a revelation of his kindness to ALL-4. He will have all men to be saved, and come to a knowledge of the truth-5. He has provided a mediator for ALL, who has given himself a RANSOM for ALL. As surely as God has created all men, so surely has Christ died for all men. [And he might have added, so surely as Christ died surely will all men be saved.] This is

for all men, as
a truth which

the nature and revelation of God unequivocally proclaim !"

That Christ gave himself a ransom for all is to be testified in due time. How can this be done? In what must the testimony consist? Ans. In the fact that all are ransomed; and it can consist in nothing else!

11. "Universalists contend that the word all embraces the whole human family. This position destroys their doctrine, for Jude says: "Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all.” p. 120.

ANS. Very true; for God will bring every work into judgement, whether it be GOOD or whether it be BAD. Eccl. xii. 13. Also when the judgment was set and the books opened 1800 years ago, it is said ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. Dan. vii. 9-14. But does Mr. Hall mean that Universalist contend the word all has a universal meaning in every case? If such was his meaning, he knows better!

12. "But in the last place we have Universalism against itself by quoting a text to sustain itself, when the context condemns it: For bodily exercise profiteth little, but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." 1st Tim. iv. 8. p. 122.

ANS. The meaning of that text is perfectly obvious. It is simply this: Those who are godly have not only the promise of the future immortal life, but also of the spiritual life of the believer that now is. All that is wanting to understand the meaning of the apostle, is, a little candor, and honesty, combined with a small modicum of common sense!

We have thus gone through with the subject with a

patience which amazes us now that we are done. The point is an important one, and Mr. Hall has done his best to mystify it beyond the powers of an ordinary comprehension. We trust, however, that we have succeeded in being understood; and that the reader may rejoice with the writer in trusting in the living God who is the Saviour of all men !

NOTE. See in connection with this subject Section iv.

SECTION XV.

Matt. v. 17, 18. Verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Mr. Hall makes a great fuss over this text, and goes through his usual rigmarole of low slang vocabulary; but what it all amounts to, it will take a wiser head than ours to determine.

The section, however, contains one remark which demands a brief notice.

Mr. H. tells the reader, that Universalists contend that the moral law is endless in its obligations, and that the fulfilling of the law is love.

Does he or any one else deny this? Will he take the position that the moral obligation of the sinner ceases at death? Grant it does; and what then? Ans. If punishment be inflicted after moral responsibility ceases, it must be of a physical character, and inflicted without right or justice. Where there is no moral responsibility there can be no moral punishment; hence, as in such a case the conscience cannot be reached, punish

ment, if inflicted at all, must be of a penal or physical character. And where there is no moral responsibility there can be no right to punish; hence, the infliction of pain would not be punishment, but cruelty.

But suppose the endless continuance of moral responsibility be granted; how then? Endless misery would be reduced to a mere probability. If the sinner is under an endless obligation to obey, then it must be admitted the sinner has an ability to obey, and therefore endless misery may be false. For so long as there is an ability to obey, so long is there a probability of obedience, and hence, in no case, can it be safely affirmed that punishment will be eternal !

Thus the believer in endless misery is reduced to one of two alternatives: 1. It is uncertain that any will be punished endlessly; or, 2. Punishment, if endlessly inflicted, will be of a physical character, and inflicted without right or justice!

Mr. H. concludes, if the law is eternal then must the penalty be eternal, and eternally executed. But is it necessary to infer that because the penalty co-exists with the law, it must always be executed? We think not. A penalty is executed only in case of disobedience; and when it secures the object for which it was instituted, it must cease. So long as men obey, so long they will be clear of the penalty for disobedience: and in that case we care not how many penalties there are, nor how long they exist.