FOREORDINATION

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · May 17, 1877

The father of the late Rev. Dr. Storrs, of Braintree, Mass., and a strong advocate of the doctrine of foreordination, having once made an appointment to exchange with the late Rev. Dr. Osgood, of Springfield, he started for the latter place with his own team on the Sunday agreed upon; and when about half way thither, met Dr. Osgood driving down. They stopped, naturally, for a moment’s conversation, and Dr. Storrs soon glided into his favorite theme. “Why,” said he, “see how wonderful are the decrees of Providence. Here it has been foreordained from all eternity that we should exchange pulpits to-day, and sure we are met, talking the matter over.” “What’s that,” said Dr. Osgood, not quite sure on his foreordination business; “do you say that it has been decreed that we should exchange pulpits to-day?” “I do,” replied the other, solemnly. “Well, then,” returned Dr. Osgood, “I’ll break one of these decrees, for I shall preach in my own pulpit to-day; and turning his horse about, he drove rapidly homeward, leaving the astonished Dr. Storrs to return to Longmeadow, musing on the possible uncertainty of decrees.