Moral Justice of Universalism

shall receive for the wrong that he hath done, and there is no respect of persons with God." Despotism is capricious, revengeful, and cruel, involving children in the fault of their parents, and punishing the victims of its hate, without regard to the number and extent of their crimes, with the most unrelenting and barbarcus severity. So Partialism pours out its unmeasured wrath upon mankind, and even the whole brute creation for the sin of Adam! And in its false pretensions of mercy, it punishes even the innocent instead of the guilty, and then claims the right to punish the guilty, notwithstanding! It either exempts offenders from all punishment, by sovereign partiality, or punishes them alike, without distinction, without mercy, without end, and without any good object.

6. Despotism has no other object in punishment but the indulgence of revenge. So Partialism pursues its hapless victims beyond the grave-like an insatiable fiend, it tears the body from its dreamless sleep only to suffer; and it follows the poor subject of its fury through eternal ages, with implacable and unappeasable ferocity, with no other object but to gratify its love of misery. Despotism exults in the extent of its cruelties-so Partialism boasts its greatest glory in unending and infinite pain! Surely, it feasts on groans and tears; and snuffs with rapture the incense of boundless desolation, and a suffering, weeping, ruined universe. Despotism imposes passive submission to its mandates, and inhibits free inquiry, and the open investigation of its claims and principles. So Partialism forbids investigation, disclaims reason, and shrouds its cruel pretentions in the awful terrors of power exerted only to destroy.

7. But Republicanism chastises only for prevention or reformation; cherishes free inquiry; encourages intellectual enterprize; extends its fostering and protecting care impartially to all the good; makes justice but the minister of public philanthropy; submits its acts to public scrutiny; and exerts all its energies for the best in

terests and greatest good of all. So it is with our religion. This is the consistent religion of Republicans. Both are based upon the immutable principles of eternal rectitude; and both lead to liberty, equality, and universal peace, public prosperity, and the true glory of man. Despotism and Partialism! How much alike! They are near relatives-twin sisters-born in darkness, and nursed on human gore; reared by the care of tyrants and oppressors; educated in fields of blood and fire; and clothed in wrath darker than the portending storm. They have lived in truly fraternal alliance; polluted earth with their kindred breath, and poured the smoke of their sacrifices, with the sighs of suffering generations upon the skies. They must be twins in death. Light is bursting forth upon 'benighted man. He rises from the slumber of ages, and his shackles fall! The fiat of omnipotent truth has decreed their doom. Good men and angels will rejoice. The patriot heroes of liberty, and the martyred heralds of christian philanthropy will triumph -and the beatified millions of all the good, will chant a joyous requiem over their grave. So mote it be.

[sighs;

Ages of darkness, and deep dungeons drear,
Oppressions vile; and slavery's pensive tear;
Dark Inquisitions; fagots, fire, and chains;
The product foul, of superstition's plains:
Wrongs, wars, and griefs; and groans, and heaving
Frauds, crimes, and woes; and Nature's sunder'd ties;
These all must cease; too long has been the night,
Of Man progressive; struggling up to light.
These all must end; and o'er the world must rise,
A brighter sun, to dissipate the lies,

To disenthral the glad, immortal mind,
And teach humanity, to human kind.

Bright o'er the world, may truth eternal reign,
Exalt our race, and close the scenes of pain.

CONTENTS.

Sketch of the Author's life,

CHAPTER I.

Page.

The moral nature of Justice defined and illustrated, - 26