The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2
V. Upsurge of Universalism in Colonial and Early National America
A brief portrayal has already been given of the Old World post-Reformation revival of Restorationism, since Reformation times usually called Universalism. It is now essential to trace its paralleling relationship in Colonial and early national America, with its significant and subsequent developments. CFF2 277.1
Back in 1636, Sir Henry Vane, former member of the British Parliament and governor of Massachusetts, acknowledged himself to be a Universalist. Then in July, 1684, Joseph Gatchell, of Marblehead, Massachusetts, was brought before the county court for teaching that “all men should be saved.” He was convicted of the teaching charged, and “sentenced ‘to the pillory and to have his tongue drawn forth and pierced with a hot iron.’” 21 Those seem to be the earliest appearances in the seventeenth century. CFF2 277.2
In the eighteenth century, in 1741, Dr. George de Bonneville came from London to preach Universalism throughout the Eastern seaboard, and had Universalist Siegvolk’s Everlasting Gospel published over here. In Episcopal ranks, Richard Clarke, in Charleston, South Carolina, and John Tyler, of Norwich, Connecticut, were pronounced advocates. And Congregationalist Dr. Jonathan Mayhew, of Boston, avowed it in 1762. Then former Wesleyan James Relly’s book on Universalism was reprinted in Boston in 1779 and in Providence in 1782. But shortly before this an anonymous pamphlet appeared against Universalism, likewise in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1759; another in Altona, by Basedow, in 1763; and then a third by Croswell, at Boston, in 1775. And there were counterattacks. Thus the battle of pens was under way. CFF2 277.3
1. UNIVERSALISM GATHERS MOMENTUM IN NINETEENTH CENTURY
But it was Bostonian Dr. Charles Chauncy’s The Salvation of All Men (1784) that created the sensation. He had a profound conviction as to the divine management of the universe. Then in 1770 Methodist John Murray widely proclaimed Universalism, and in 1779 organized a society of Universalists in Massachusetts under the name of The Independent Christian Church. Next, in 1781 Baptist Elhanan Winchester organized a Universalist society, taking the name Universal Baptists. Even among the Dunkers, or German Baptists, at Ephrata, Pennsylvania, Universalism was agitated. Also in New Jersey several Baptist preachers and their congregations became Universalist. And in Pennsylvania Abel Sarjent started the Free Universal Magazine. Restorationism was definitely under way in North America. CFF2 277.4
The Reverend Hosea Ballou, of Vermont, originally a Baptist, but becoming a Universalist preacher in 1790, started the Restorationist Association. He also produced The Ancient History of Universalism (1829), and by 1830 his views were rather extensively held. But this Restorationist Association terminated about 1841, and its organ, The Independent Christian Messenger, ceased publication. So there were ups and downs, but the agitation continued. CFF2 278.1
2. BATTLE OF BOOKS OVER UNIVERSALISM
Prior to the appearance of Universalism, as outlined, the absolute eternity of Hell punishment was almost universally held, with predestinarian Calvinism predominant. Now a barrage of books for and against the upsurging Universalism poured forth for more than half a century. The conflict was intense. To help the reader visualize the amazing number of treatises and tractates for and against, as well as periodicals, we list them in contrasting columns—not to read but to let the eye run down the list (with author’s name, place of publication, and date of issuance) 22—just to sense the vast extent of the barrage of books, periodicals, and discussions flooding this period. (Published debates are centered.) CFF2 278.2
65-Year Battle of Pens Over Universalism
| For | Against |
| Servetus, Mordecai (Philadelphia: 1781) | Mather, Samuel (Boston: 1782) |
| Chauncy, Charles (Boston: 1782) | Eckley, Joseph (Boston: 1782) |
| Clarke, George (Boston: 1782) | Presbytery (Boston: 1783) |
| Hopkins, Samuel (Newport: 1783) | Thacher, Peter (Salem: 1783) |
| Smith, William P. (New York: 1787) | Gordon, William (Boston: 1783) |
| Townsend, Shippie (Boston: 1794) | Johnson, Stephen (New London: 1786) |
| Murray, John (Charlestown: 1795) | Edwards, Jonathan (New Haven: 1790) |
| Huntington, Joseph (New London: 1796) | Andrews, Elisha (Boston: 1800) |
| The Universalists Miscellany (1797 1803) |
Discussion—Ballou, Hosea, versus Foster, Joel (Northampton: 1799)
| Winchester, Elhanan (Worcester: 1803) | Foster, Dan (Walpole: 1803) |
| Dobson, Thomas (Philadelphia: 1804) | Smith, Elias (Boston: 1805) |
| Young, Joseph (New York: 1804) | Spaulding, Josiah (Northampton: 1805) |
| Ballou, Hosea (Randolph: 1805) | Lacey, William B. (Utica: 1812) |
| Thompson, Samuel (Charleston: 1809) | Kelly, John (Haverhill: 1815) |
Discussion—Ballou, Hosea, versus Buckminster, Joseph (Windsor: 1811)
| Peck, John (Boston: 1813) | Streeter, Russell (Keene: 1816) |
| Baker, Samuel (Hallowell: 1814) | Dutton, Salmon (Boston: 1819) |
| Burt, Jephthah (Vermont: 1814) | Isaac, Daniel (New York: 1819) |
| Dutton, Salmon (Weathersfield: 1814) | Corrique (Boston: 1820) |
| Ballou, Hosea (Salem: 1816) | Crowell, Seth (New York: 1821) |
| Wood, Jacob (Worcester: 1818) | Ruffner, Henry (Richmond: 1823) |
| Kneeland, Abner (Philadelphia: 1818) | Sabine, James (Boston: 1825) |
| Universalist Magazine (Boston: 1819-28) | Empie, Adam (New York: 1825) |
| Ballou, Hosea (Boston: 1821) | Hawes, Joel (Hartford: 1827) |
| Kenrick, Enoch B. (Boston: 1821) | Canfield, Russel (Hartford: 1827) |
| Thompson, John Samuel (Utica: 1825) | Bacheler, Origen (Boston: 1829) |
| Hutchinson, Samuel (Norway, Maine: 1827) | Beecher, Lyman (Boston: 1830) |
| Peck, George (Wilkes Barre: 1827) | Parker, Joel (Rochester: 1830) |
| Allen, William (Brunswick, New Jersey: 1828) | Cooke, Parsons (Lowell: 1833) |
| Tripp, John (Portland: 1829) | Todd, Lewis C. (Erie: 1834) |
| Skinner, Dolphus (Utica: 1833) | |
| Morse, Pitt (Watertown: 1831) | |
| Whittemore, Thomas (Boston: 1831) | |
| Universalist Expositor (1830-32) | |
| Dean, Paul (Boston: 1832) | |
| Dods, John Boveer (Boston: 1832) | |
| McClure, A. Wilson (Boston: 1832) | |
| Ballou, Hosea 2nd (Boston: 1833) | |
| The Universalist (Boston: 1833) | |
| Paige, Lucius R. (Boston: 1833) | |
| Streeter, Russell (Boston: 1833) |
Discussion—M’Kee, Joseph, versus Skinner, Otis A. (Baltimore: 1835)
Discussion—Thomas, Abel C., versus Ely, Ezra S. (New York: 1835)
| M’Morris, Spencer J. (Charlestown: 1836) | Merritt, Timothy (New York: 1836) |
| Ballou, Adin (Providence: 1837) | Lee, Luther (Watertown: 1836) |
| Jobst, J. G. (Bath: 1838) | Fuller, Allen (Charleston, S.C.: 1836) |
| Rogers, George (Erie: 1838) | Davis, James M. (Philadelphia: 1837) |
| Grosh, Aaron B. (Utica: 1839) | M’Leod, Alexander W. (Halifax, N.S.: 1837) |
| Skinner, Dolphus (Utica: 1840) | Priest, Josiah (Albany: 1837) |
| Whittemore, Thomas (Boston: 1840) | Remington, Stephen (New York: 1837) |
| Williamson, Isaac D. (New York: 1840) | Royce, Andrew (Windsor: 1838) |
| Fernald, Woodbury M. (Boston: 1840) | Hatfield, Edwin F. (New York: 1841) |
| Skinner, Otis A. (Boston: 1842) | Russell, Philemon R. (Exeter: 1842) |
| Quinby, George W. (Saco, Maine: 1843) | Smith, Matthew H. (Boston: 1842) |
| Guild, E. E. (Boston: 1844) | Bible Examiner (1843-57) |
| Universalist Quarterly (1844-61) | Delancy, William H. (Utica: 1843) |
| Kent, Adolphus (Bath: 1845) | Hill, M. (Portland: 1843) |
| Power, John H. (Cincinnati: 1843) |
Discussion—Francis, Eben, versus Yates, Freeman (Exeter: 1843)
Debate—Pingree, Enoch M., versus Rice, N. L. (Cincinnati: 1845)
| Burr, Charles C. (Troy: 1844) | George, Nathan D. (Boston: 1846) |
| Todd, Lewis C. (Erie: 1845) | Hall, Alexander (St. Clairsville, O.: 1846) |
| Forbes, Darius (Boston: 1846) | |
| Brittan, Samuel B. (Albany: 1847) |
Discussion—Latham, Alanson, versus Cook, James M. (Providence: 1847)
| Moore, Asher (Philadelphia: 1847) | Smith, Matthew H. (New York: 1847) |
| Skinner, Otis A. (New York: 1847) |
Debate—Holmes, David, versus Austin, John (Auburn: 1848)
Debate—Manford, Erasmus, versus Franklin, Benjamin (Indianapolis: 1848)
| Austin, John M. (Auburn: 1849) | Jordan, J. Henry (Indianapolis: 1848) |
| Roberts, Orrin (Rochester: 1848) |