“The Avon to the Severn runs,The Severn to the sea,And Wickliffe’s ashes shall be strewnWide as the waters be.”
“The Avon to the Severn runs,The Severn to the sea,And Wickliffe’s ashes shall be strewnWide as the waters be.”
“The Avon to the Severn runs,The Severn to the sea,And Wickliffe’s ashes shall be strewnWide as the waters be.”
“The Avon to the Severn runs,
The Severn to the sea,
And Wickliffe’s ashes shall be strewn
Wide as the waters be.”
The martyrs of truth fertilize our soil. The fires that consumed their bodies lighten our skies. The clanking of their chains, and the groans they uttered, are yet sounding in our ears, and inspire us with indignation against despotism of every name and kind. They did as much for human progress by suffering and dying in its cause as they did by the pen, speech, or holy life. Their tears and their blood form a river which has been meandering through the heart of humanity down to the present time; and all along its margin, little rills have been pouring into it from the hearts and eyes of those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake. And the stream that was once small has become large, and will increase every day as it flows on, imparting vitality to the great heart of humanity. Revere those great men. And although they may not have known the whole truth, yet they were far in advance of the age in which they lived, were true friends of man, and we owe them a lasting debt of gratitude.
And what shall I say of the present condition of the enlightened nations of the earth? The truth is,never before did man attain the intellectual and moral eminence he now enjoys; never before was the human mind so active or making such rapid strides. “The world is entering on a new moral cycle. The great heart of humanity is heaving with hopes of a still brighter day. The instincts of our nature prophesy its approach, and the best intellects of our world are struggling to turn that prophecy to fulfilment. Thoughts of freedom, duty, benevolence, equality and human brotherhood agitate the nations of the earth; and neither the Pope with his Cardinals and Jesuits, nor the kings with their ministers, can repress it. Were these thoughts imprisoned in the center of the earth, they would burst its granite folds, speed onward in their career and fill their destiny. They are imbued with a deathless vigor. They must prevail, or the idea of a Moral Governor of the universe is impossible, and the divine truths of the gospel a fable.”
Old ideas are being modified, or laid aside without a memento to keep them in remembrance, and new ones from the heavenly mint are taking their places. The pruning-hook and plough-share are making sad havoc of grey-bearded theories. But we must not for a moment suppose that the worshipers of antiquated institutions and ideas, will yield in this struggle without a desperate effort to preserve their idols. And no doubt the cry will be raised as of old, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians;” and multitudes will shout, “Crucify, crucify, all who are not of our party.”
All who have eyes must see that changes are taking place every where. Men may shut their eyes and prophesy that all things will continue as they are; but as Galileo said of the earth, after renouncing his philosophy to save his life: “It revolves still;” so whether we believe it or not, the human mind is outgrowing and leaving old errors, which had their origin in barbarism, and is advancing into the region of truth and reality.
But the old heavens and earth will not pass away without great noise—not until the elements shall be melted with fervent heat, by the Sun of righteousness. The nations of the earth have long fought with steel and bullet, but now the great battle of ideas is being fought. The old and the new, the past and the present, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of satan, have entered the list; and as sure as the rising sun dispels the darkness, chill, and dampness of night, as sure as day succeeds night, will truth triumph over error in this conflict. The hay, wood and stubble will be consumed, but the silver and gold will pass the fiery ordeal.
Had some conversation with a Spiritualist. The Bible, in his estimation, is full of lies and absurdities, as unreliable in its religious instruction as an almanac in its weather prognostics. But all Spiritualists do not go to that extreme; many of them entertain sincere respect for that book, and love to cultivate the religious sentiment. I have a great deal of faith in that kind of Spiritualism. The old prophets, Christ and his apostles, and multitudes of the wise and good in all ages, have been Spiritualists of that character. Such kind of Spiritualism is only another name for Christianity. But with the irreverent and ungodly sort of Spiritualism, I have no sympathy. I believe it to be blasting and damning in its influence, and will ultimately land its believers in rank Atheism. It has already made shipwreck of many a man and woman, and its dreadful work in that direction will fearfully increase unless there should be a return to reason.
I attended a revival meeting while on this journey, and witnessed some extraordinary doings. There was shouting, ranting, screaming, jumping, crying and laughing. The preacher told us, that the lowest and vilest could be instantly translated into saints. I remembered the old song I had heard on such occasions:
“Come dirty, come filthy, come ragged, come bare:You can’t come too filthy—come just as you are.”
“Come dirty, come filthy, come ragged, come bare:You can’t come too filthy—come just as you are.”
“Come dirty, come filthy, come ragged, come bare:You can’t come too filthy—come just as you are.”
“Come dirty, come filthy, come ragged, come bare:
You can’t come too filthy—come just as you are.”
The preacher did not intend to promote immorality, but no doubt this telling people, that unwashed scoundrels at the end of a long life in every crime can be instantly transformed into saints of the first water, and so escape all punishment for a misspent life, has a very immoral influence. A hardened sinner may to-day right-about face, and resolve to travel upward hereafter, but he has a long journey before him. But if he pursues it, he will finally reach the heavenly city, and walk its golden streets.
A man at the meeting asked me if a person could be “saved without repentance and regeneration?” I replied:
“You might as well ask if a man can see without eyes, hear without ears, think without a head, talk without a tongue, or walk without legs. You misunderstand salvation. It is not from an outward hell, but from ignorance, error, sin, and all their debasing effects. He who has thoroughly repented, or reformed, which is the same thing,issaved, not will be; a regenerated soulissaved, not will be saved at some future period, and in some other world. Repentance and regeneration sweep and garnish the soul, make it a fit habitation for the heavenly guest—salvation. Jesus said, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.’ It is always ‘at hand,’ ready to be established in every reformed, regenerated heart.”
Said another, “If Universalism is true, what is the use of preaching?”
“Why, my dear sir,” I answered, “preaching is one means by which salvation is effected. God works by means. By means of the sun he lightens and warms the earth; by means of the rain he cools and purifies the atmosphere, fertilizes the soil, and fills our fountains with living water. By means of naturallaws he controls every globe, and every particle of matter in the universe. So, by wise and righteous instrumentalities, he blesses man spiritually, and will continue to bless him forever and ever. And the proclamation of truth and righteousness, through the christian ministry, is one means appointed by heaven to this blessed end. Eighteen hundred years ago Jesus said, ‘Know the truth, and the truth shall make you free;’ and he consecrated men, and commissioned them, to ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.’ It is freedomnowthat we need; it is salvationnow, that the proclamation of the truth produces. As the presence of Jesus brought salvation into Zaccheus’ house, so the preaching of the gospel brings a present salvation to the soul. Give up the wretched delusion, that the chief end of preaching is to save us from a hell beyond the grave. It is for no such a purpose. Its object is to enlighten and purify mannow, that he may be happy in this world.”
In Kimball, I delivered a discourse; and at its close a Methodist minister told the congregation that he, heart and soul, believed in the “Restitution of all things;” and that he would not part with that faith for the world. He said it was the joy of his life; it made him a better man; it prepared him to live, and he trusted that it would be his stay and his hope in the hour of death.
I stopped in Moline, Ill., and delivered one discourse. This is a manufacturing place, at the head of Rock Island, and exhibits much thrift and enterprise. Said a man to me in the town:
“The Bible says, no self-murderer shall enter the kingdom of God. What do you do with that passage?”
“That is home-made scripture,” I replied; “there is nothing of the kind in the Bible. Besides, there never was, and never will be, a self-murderer. To murder is to ‘killwith malice aforethought.’ A manmay commit suicide, but that is not murder, for he does not do it with malignity or malice toward himself. For the poor suicide I have much sympathy. Who can estimate the agony he suffered, to escape which, he took his own life? Have charity for such a poor unfortunate; speak not harshly of him; condemn him not. Jesus would weep over his grave, and say, ‘Father, forgive him.’ The apostle John says, ‘Whoso hateth his brother is a murderer, and ye know, that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.’ 1 John iii. 15. This speaks of thepresent conditionof the murderer—not his everlasting condition. No murdererhatheternal lifeabiding in him. Of course he has not, or he would not be a murderer. Eternal life is Christ-life, heaven-life; a life of love to God, and good will toward man. A murderer is selfish, cruel, bloody, revengeful. A murderous character, and a christian character, cannot exist in one soul. But the murderer may reform. Paul was a persecutor, assisted in murdering Stephen of blessed memory, but he reformed. Jesus on the cross prayed God to forgive his murderers.”
“But then suppose he dies a murderer, what will become of him?”
“If the murderer can reform before he dies, why not after he dies? Does reason, wisdom, goodness, the Bible say, that if a man leaves this world a sinner, he will be compelled to be a sinner eternally? That is an assumption of Orthodoxy; but it never was proved, and never will be. Why does the Bible say, ‘God will have all men to be saved,’ if it is his purpose that all who leave this world sinners never shall be saved? Why does he call on all to repent, if he intends, that all who die impenitent never shall reform? It is a dreadful thing to live or die a murderer; but the mercy of God can save him in this world, and that same mercy can save him in the future world.”