The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

IV. Storrs—Introduces Conditionalism Into Second Advent Movement

Next comes GEORGE STORRS (1796-1867), able Methodist minister, said to have served for a brief time as a presiding elder. He began his ministry under the traveling connection provision in 1825 and continued to preach successfully for them until 1836. In fact, many considered him destined for a bishopric. But the local bishop of the Methodist Church was set against all Abolitionist agitation, and took every means of suppressing its discussion. Because of this and other factors Storrs, who had been active in Abolitionist lines, finally withdrew from the Methodist communion and ministry. CFF2 305.2

In 1837 Storrs, who had been brought up a Calvinist—with its emphasis on the Eternal Torment of the wicked in Hell—became exercised over the real nature and destiny of man. As before noted, this came about through reading a tract on the question by Deacon Henry Grew, ³⁰ of Hartford and Philadelphia. Storrs read the tractate to while away the time on a slow train trip. It first intrigued him and then drove him to an intensive search of the Scriptures thereon. CFF2 305.3

Picture 1: George Storrs, Charles Fitch
Left: George Storrs (d. 1867), Editor of Albany Bible Examiner Introduces Condtionalism Into Second Advent Movement.
Right: Charles Fitch (d.1844), Presbyterian Pastor of Cleveland Adds Conditionalism to Second Advent Emphasis.
Page 306

1. BECOMES A CONDITIONALIST AFTER THREE YEARS’ STUDY

So It was that, after three years of investigation, discussion, and correspondence with some of America’s most eminent ministers, he reached the irrevocable conclusion that man does not possess innate, inherent immortality, but receives it only as a gift from God through Christ, at the resurrection. And as a companion truth, he likewise came to hold that after due punishment God will utterly exterminate the wicked through fire at the second death. ³¹ CFF2 306.1

Storrs had been highly esteemed in his denomination and respected by its ministry. He knew that by taking his stand on this delicate doctrine he would sever himself from these congenial relationships. But it had become a matter of conscience, and he deliberately withdrew from Methodism in 1840. Soon after, he expressed his convictions in three letters to an intimate friend, a prominent minister in the Methodist Church, who replied that he could not answer Storrs’s arguments. He advised Storrs to publish them anonymously, in order to get the public reaction. This Storrs did in 1841 under the title An Enquiry: Are the Souls of the Wicked Immortal? In Three Letters. CFF2 306.2

2. ORIGIN OF THE FAMOUS “SIX SERMONS.”

The Protestant principle “The Bible and the Bible Only” was his platform. Soon he became pastor of a congregation in Albany, New York, where his views on Conditionalism were known. He did not, however, at first preach on this controversial theme. But by 1842 he felt impelled to speak out clearly. He spent an entire week in the final preparation of the first sermon. To avoid being misunderstood he did the unusual, for him, and wrote out and read his sermon. Deep interest was expressed. So he prepared and presented other vital aspects of the subject in succeeding weeks, until he had preached his sixth sermon thereon. CFF2 307.1

Friends urged their publication. So Storrs reviewed, revised, and published them as An Enquiry: Are the Souls of the Wicked Immortal? In Six Sermons (Albany: 1842). These soon came to be known as Storrs’s Six Sermons. Through this means he became widely known as an effective writer, and before long was the successful editor of the Bible Examiner. He soon was devoted almost entirely to “No Immortality, or Endless Life, Except Through Jesus Christ Alone.” He was also an able expositor of Bible prophecy. ³² The Six Sermons had reached the twenty-first edition in 1852, and some 200,000 copies had been circulated by 1880. ³³ CFF2 307.2

Traveling widely in the Eastern and Midwestern States from 1843 onward, Storrs preached to great crowds, many of whom wished to hear his views on the fate of the wicked, for he held that the concept of an ever burning Hell constituted a blot on the character of God He could remain silent no longer. Soon certain ministers, like the well known Presbyterian Charles Fitch and Free Methodist Calvin French, wholeheartedly accepted his views on Conditionalism. Thus it was George Storrs who introduced the teaching of Conditionalism into the great Second Advent Movement of the time CFF2 307.3

But strong opposition also developed on the part of some, such as Dr. Josiah Litch, of Philadelphia, who went so far as to bring out a periodical against it called the Anti-Annihilationist. Later, however, there was widespread acceptance of his teaching in the formative days both of the first-day Adventists (later the Advent Christian Church) and the Seventh-day-Adventists. These both received their Conditionalist views chiefly from George Storrs’s clear and logical writings on this subject. Because of this we should examine his Six Sermons to get their gist. CFF2 308.1