Universalism | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 12, 1866

Universalism.

J. T. WALSH in a recent work on Universalism, thwacks that false system in the following lusty and vigorous style:

No; Universalists do not visit Pagan lands as missionaries. They do not go into the dark corners of the earth, where "darkness covers the land, and gross darkness the people." They do not encounter the Atheist and Deist, and challenge them to mortal combat! Oh, no! They love to go among the orthodox. They love to prowl along in the footsteps of those who preach the gospel of the grace of God, and seek to turn away the people from the faith. Satan has no use for them in Pagan lands, and among Atheists, Deists, and Infidels of this class, they are all right! Where there is no danger of the people's believing in future punishment, they do not go! Hence you do not find them preaching to Atheists, Deists, and Pagans; you do not find them seeking entrance into heathen temples! They prefer that the orthodox shall take the lead in this business, and they will come along afterward, and "sow tares among the wheat." They are exceedingly anxious to get into houses for Christian worship, because here, perchance, they may do some mischief. But Universalism is not preached to save any one; for there is no saving power in it, and nothing from which to be saved. And if there was, it could not save any one, for there are no conditions or terms of salvation in it. Hence we say that Universalism is not the gospel; for that is the "power of God to salvation to every one that believeth." And Paul says: "It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." The preaching of the gospel is designed to save men; to save all who believe it; but Universalism has no such object. Men will be saved as well as if it is never preached and believed. If men never hear of it, it will be all the same. But such is not the case with the gospel. Men, to be benefited by it, must hear it, believe it, and obey it; but so far as Universalism is concerned, a man may be an Atheist, a Deist, or a Pagan, and it is all the same, so far as the final result is concerned.