Twenty-five years in the West

by E. Manford

CHAPTER XV.

The Golden Era Issued Semi-Monthly—The Missourians—Slave Holders—Travel in Southern Missouri—If Endless Woe is True all Nature would Weep—Region of Iron—Dunkards in Millersville—In Southern Illinois—Philosophy of Christ Being the Savior of the World—Refuse to Debate—Discussion in Carlyle—Inspiration—Our Name—Partialism Approaches Infidelity—Three Downward Steps—Reply to a Sermon—Hayne’s Sermon—Mr. Lewis Debating on his Knees—Written Discussions with Two Methodist Ministers—In Northern Missouri—A Preacher Replies—A Log Cabin—Talk With a Slave—Thomas Abbott—Negroes Hung—The Golden Era—Mrs. Manford Lecturing—Let Woman Work—A Circuit in Missouri—Traveling in Cold Weather—Debate in Quincy.

When the second volume of the Golden Era was commenced, it was issued semi-monthly, and changed to a quarto form. Its circulation rapidly increased, but I found it rather hard to pay expenses, for St. Louis was, and still is, a very dear place in which to live or do business. Labor, rent, paper, commanded high prices, and living expenses were about double they were in Indianapolis. If the people with whom I labored had not liberally compensated me, I could not have kept square with the world. But I found the Missourians to be hospitable, generous and liberal; and I shall ever remember with gratitude the many kindnesses I have received from their hands. I differed from many of them concerning slavery, and they knew it; but I am not conscious of any ill treatment from any one on that account. We often canvassed our differences, but in the kindest spirit on both sides, and some of my best friends were extensive slave holders. Many good people suppose that every slave holder was a semi-savage; but that is a great mistake. Some of the best men and women I was ever acquainted with owned slaves. They thought slavery was the normal condition of the black man, that God made him for servitude to the white man. They were educated to regard slavery in this light. Their churches, their pastors, their school teachers, so taught them. Slavery, then, was not wrong, but according to the laws of God. Those who know any thing of man well know that the most moral, most Christian people, may cherish intellectual errors without being morally corrupted. But slavery is now dead, and I have met but few in Missouri who are not glad of it. Although in their estimation, slavery was right enough, it was unprofitable, perplexing, and the bone of contention in the nation, and they are glad the cause of so much strife is no more. If slavery could be restored in Missouri to-day by the vote of the people, not one in twenty would vote—restore it.

During the second year I was in St. Louis, I traveled through Southern Missouri, Southern Illinois, and into the south part of Indiana. This journey occupied six weeks. Lectured in Potosi, forty miles south of St. Louis. A clergyman replied in a very bitter tone. I had spoken of the terrible doctrine of endless woe, and remarked, that if it was a fact in God’s universe, it seemed to me, that all nature would utter cries of woe. He was offended at the remark. I repeated, that if nine tenths of the inhabitants of God’s universe are to howl eternally in hell, nature, being all alive with goodness, would utter cries of woe.

“The woods would begin and tell it to the doleful winds;

And doleful winds, wail to the howling hills;

And howling hills, mourn to the dismal vales;

And dismal vales, sigh to the sorrowing brooks;

And sorrowing brooks, weep to the weeping streams;

And weeping streams, awake the groaning deep.

The heavens, great archway of the universe,

Would put sackcloth on; and Ocean, clothe herself

In garb of widowhood, and gather all

Her waves into a groan, and utter it,

Long, loud, deep, piercing, dolorous, immense.”

But instead of this universal wailing of woe, all nature is praising God for his goodness to the children of men. Oh, what mockery all this would be, if cries of agony, and wails of despair are to ascend forever! I cannot subscribe to such a creed if I would, and would not if I could.

Journeyed to Iron Mountain, and lectured once. Here is the far famed Iron Mountain, three hundred and twenty-eight feet high, and at its base covers an area of five hundred acres. How far downward the ore extends is not known, but an artisan well, one hundred and fifty feet deep, at the base of the hill, does not reach the limits of the iron. Its average yield in the furnace is fifty-six per cent. Near the surface the ore is found in pebbles or lumps, varying in size. Below, it becomes more compact and massive.

Six miles south, are other deposits of iron ore, not less rich, and, in all probability, not less extensive. One of these is Pilot Knob, five hundred and eighty-one feet high, with a base of three hundred and sixty acres. Sixty per cent. of this ore is iron. One mile from Pilot Knob is Shepherd Mountain, six hundred and sixty feet high, and covers eight hundred acres. This hill is penetrated with veins or dykes of iron ore, running in different directions. The ores obtained therefrom, are the magnetic, the specular, and a mixture of the two. The iron yield at the furnace is about the same as that of the other hills. There are known to be other very valuable deposits of iron ore in this vicinity, besides those I have named; and likely there are others not yet discovered, in the adjacent hills. There are also rich deposits of lead and zinc in different localities in Southern Missouri. Vast deposits of coal are likewise found in nearly all parts of the state. The truth is, Missouri, in mineral wealth, exceeds any other state in the Union; and the day will surely come when her immense resources will be developed.

Passed on to Millersville, where I found a large settlement of Dunkards, who had gradually emerged into Universalism. Soon after my visit they dissolved their connection with that sect. They migrated from North Carolina to that section while it belonged to Spain. A brother by the name of Hendricks preached with them till he died; then another brother of the settlement, J. H. Miller, was set apart for the ministry, and he dying a year since, —. Miller occupies his place as teacher. They do not go abroad for ministers, but select one of their number for the ministerial office, and he officiates till he is called home, and then another is chosen from the community as his successor. This, probably, was the apostolic method; and these excellent people, in christian virtues, and in simplicity of manners, come as near the original Christians as any since the first century of the Dispensation of Grace. When the rebellion raged in the land, to a man and woman, they were true to their country; and being in a very exposed position, they suffered sorely. I was in the neighborhood several times during the war; and at one time some rebels threatened to hang me, but they were told that if an hair of my head was hurt, an hundred men would instantly shoulder their muskets, and rid the settlement of rebels forever.

Crossed the Mississippi river at Cape Girardeau, one hundred and fifty miles below St. Louis, and traveled through the southern portion of Illinois to Mt. Vernon, Ind., on the Ohio river. Was one week between those points, and lectured ten times. Found but few who knew anything about the doctrines of the Restitution, and could not learn that a discourse had ever been before delivered in all that region in their defense. Of course the prejudices of the people were strong against me, but large numbers attended my meetings, and I was kindly treated. Robert Dale Owen attended one of them, and expressed himself favorably.

At Elizabethtown a lawyer wished to know the philosophy of Christ being the Savior of the world. I replied thus: Jesus Christ was a man, a mere man, nothing but a man. But what is a MAN? He is the last, the best, the crowning work of God—the ultimate of the universe, made in the “image and glory of God.” Jesus is called in the Bible, “The man, Christ Jesus.” He was the man of men, a perfect man, fully developed in all his spiritual faculties—head and shoulders above his brothers. Go into a corn-field, and you will find one ear larger than any other ear; it is only though an ear of corn. Go to the forest, and you will find one tree larger than any other tree; it is only though a tree. So, Christ was a man, but he was the largest man, spiritually, that ever lived; and that fact makes him our teacher, our savior. He cannot be otherwise. We cannot teach him; he must teach us. He is our heaven-appointed teacher, and all he said, and all he did, is the natural result of his spiritual pre-eminence. If this is correct his divine mission is based in nature, is based on the throne of God, and the gates of hell can never prevail against it. He will continue his work till all are taught, all are enlightened, all are saved. Greece and Rome had their wise men; but who of the best of them taught and lived as Jesus did? “Thou shall,” said he, “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul and strength, and thy neighbor as thyself; bless and curse not; return good for evil; do by others as you would have others do by you.” He not only taught this with his lips, but his works, his character, his soul, his life, were in perfect harmony with such wisdom. He was godlike, thought God’s thoughts, spoke God’s words, and did God’s works. Heaven and earth will ever proclaim him—“the Savior of mankind.”

Delivered several discourses in Mt. Vernon, a pleasant town on the Ohio river, and then proceeded to Evansville, where I also lectured. A preacher here replied in a very abusive manner, and I paid but little attention to him. This offended the gentleman, and he dared me to a discussion. I refused to have anything to do with him, as Christ had said, “Cast not your pearl before swine.”

Returned to St. Louis through Booneville, Vincennes, Lawrenceville, Olney, Salem, Carlyle, and lectured in all those places.

About this time I had a discussion in Carlyle, Ill., with Mr. Stafford, a Presbyterian clergyman. We were to continue the discussion four days, but he brought it to a close at the end of the second day by going home, as he said, to find a calf that had jumped out of the lot. Whether he found the calf I cannot say, as he did not return to report his success. He knew nothing of the liberal faith, save what he had learned from its enemies, and was poorly prepared to meet the arguments in its favor.

He charged our people with denying the Bible, and I replied, We do not deny the Bible. We believe it contains a record of God’s revelation to man. We do not say that every book, chapter, verse and letter, from Genesis to Revelation, is inspiration. The Bible makes no such pretention. Considerable part of the Old and New Testaments is historical; and intelligent and well informed men, can write history correctly without inspiration, especially if they are eye-witnesses of what they relate. Jesus Christ, “the author and finisher of our faith,” was guided and illuminated by the Holy Spirit. His soul was in perfect harmony with the Great Soul of the universe, hence he said, “I and my Father are one.” “He who hath seen the Son hath seen the Father also;” hence, truth, from the Fountain of truth, flowed into his soul as naturally as water flows into a sponge; hence to do his Father’s will was his meat and drink; hence the wisdom he uttered was the wisdom of God. He is then the Way, the Truth, and the Life; the Teacher and Savior of man. He is a medium through which God speaks to, and blesses the world. Moses, the prophets, and the apostles, were also divinely illuminated, but not in the same degree Jesus was, for he was blessed with the spirit “without measure.” Jesus is the central figure among those anointed men. He was “in the form of God,” and in the “express image of his person,” by nature and by character. He is a sun, but they are stars. You may call this denying the Bible, if you please, but I am sure this affirms the Bible.

He found fault with our name—Universalist—said it was not scriptural. I remarked, It is admitted the word is not in the Bible; but the idea often occurs in that book. 1. God is the universal Father of mankind—“have we not all one Father?” 2. He is a universal Savior—“the Savior of all men.” 3. Jesus is a universal Savior—“the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.” 4. God’s will is for universal salvation—“who will have all men to be saved.” 5. God’s grace brings universal salvation—“for the grace of God which bringeth salvation to all men.” 6. There will be a universal ingathering into Christ—“gather together all things in Christ.” 7. There is to be a universal deliverance from earthly corruption—“the creation shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” 8. Universal righteousness will finally prevail—“by the obedience of one shall many—the mass—be made righteous.” 9. Universal reconciliation shall finally be effected—“God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself.” 10. There shall ultimately come a period of universal praise to God, and confession to God’s glory. (Phil. ii; Rev. v. 11). There will be a universal blessing of the nations, families and kindred—“all nations, families and kindred of the earth shall be blessed.” 12. There is to be a universal resurrection to a heavenly condition—“in Christ shall all be made alive.”

There is propriety, then, in the name. The Arminians were once called Universalists, because they believed in a universal atonement. We believe in a universal atonement, and in the universal efficacy of that atonement. In Europe, very learned men, men who master all the sciences, are called Universalists. It is an honorable name, then, a learned name, an appropriate name for those who recognize God as a universal Father and Savior, Christ as a universal Redeemer, and who rejoice in the hope of the universal destruction of sin, suffering and death, and the universal reign of truth, virtue, life and salvation. Universal means catholic. Our church, then, is the true Catholic Church—all of Adam’s race will finally be members of it, and partake of its blessings. What is called the Catholic Church is a very partial church. Notwithstanding the propriety of our name, I seldom use it—it sounds a little too sectarian for my taste. Some of my brethren are so in love with it, they hitch it to almost every thing. That may be all right; but I am not so deeply in love with the name as some seem to be. I had rather be called a godly man than a Universalist, whether I deserve the appellation or not; and I had rather hear my church called “the church of God,” than a Universalist church.

Returning to St. Louis, I lectured in Lebanon, and a man said the sentiments I advocated lead through Deism to Atheism. How is that? I replied. I am with the New Testament in believing in a God for ALL, and a Savior for ALL. Is there any Deism or Atheism in that? Orthodoxy is the first step downward, for it teaches a God for ALL, but a Savior for PART. It makes the first departure from the gospel. Deism is another step in the same direction, for it says a God for all, but a Savior for NONE. Atheism is at the foot of the ladder, for it proclaims a God for NONE, a Savior for NONE. There are, then, three downward steps from Christianity or Universalism, to Atheism—ALL—PART—NONE. Orthodoxy is the half-way house between Universalism and Infidelity.

Being requested to visit Florence, up the Illinois river about one hundred miles, to hear a discourse against Universal Salvation, and to reply if it was proper, I arrived by packet on Sunday at eleven o’clock, soon after the preacher had commenced his sermon. He spoke three hours, and made out, he supposed, a pretty strong case. After one hour’s intermission, I replied to the discourse, which also occupied three hours. The preacher, and his congregation, heard me through; and at candle lighting of the same day, I delivered another discourse in the same place. In my answer to the gentleman’s discourse I offered twenty-five objections to endless misery, and twenty-five objections to his view of a great judgment day; gave twenty-five proofs and arguments, that virtue and vice are rewarded in this world; furnished twenty-five reasons from Scripture for believing in the final salvation of mankind.

A few days after this, I lectured in Naples, Ill., and while the congregation were singing the second hymn, a Methodist preacher passed me a tract, which I had seen before. Many years ago, immediately after Hosea Ballou had delivered a discourse in some town in Vermont, Samuel Haynes, a Congregationalist clergyman, a gentleman of color, and pastor of a white congregation, and of considerable education, ability, and much wit, arose and preached a sermon from the words of the serpent to mother Eve, “Ye shall not surely die.” The thing was afterwards published and scattered far and near. The tract the preacher gave me was Haynes’ sermon. The serpent is represented as a Universalist preacher, and his words, “Ye shall not surely die,” as the essence of Universalism. Being in a humor for it, I took parson Haynes’ text for my text that evening, followed his arrangement, adopted some of his language, and put the “boot on the right foot,” I spoke as follows:

The Holy Scriptures are a peculiar fund of instruction. They inform us of the origin of creation; of the primitive state of man—his ignorance, folly and degradation. It appears that he was placed in the garden of Eden, with full liberty to regale himself with all the delicious fruits that were to be found, except what grew on one tree; if he ate of that he should SURELY die on the DAY of transgression, (Gen. ii. 17,) was the declaration of the Almighty. Mark the language—he was not to be punished in the next world, but in this world, and on the day, at the very time he sinned. Let this be remembered, for it is God’s truth.

Happy were the human pair amid this delightful paradise, until a certain preacher endeavored to convince them that they could sin without suffering IMMEDIATE punishment, without being punished on the DAY of transgression.

We may attend to the character of the preacher; to the doctrine inculcated; to the hearers addressed; to the mediums or instruments of the preaching.

I. As to the PREACHER, I would observe, he is said by the Bible, to be the lust of the flesh. “Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God, but man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed.” James i. 13, 14. He is also called the carnal mind, and that is ever at enmity against God. Read the seventh and eighth chapters of Romans carefully. In Genesis, lust—the carnal mind—is personified and called a serpent, and in other parts of the Bible termed satan, devil and adversary, for those terms mean a deceiver, an opposer, and that is the character of the tempter in the human breast. This was the tempter that led the first pair astray.

But to be a little more particular, let it be observed,

1. He is an old preacher. He lived about one thousand seven hundred years before Abraham—about two thousand four hundred and thirty years before Moses—four thousand and four years before Christ. It is now five thousand eight hundred and fifty-four years since he commenced preaching. By this time he must have acquired great skill in the art.

2. He is a very cunning, artful preacher. The serpent, his prototype, is said to possess much wisdom and cunning. When Elymus, the sorcerer, came to turn away people from the faith, he is said to be full of all subtlety, not only because he was an enemy of all righteousness, but on account of his cunning and craftiness. He manifests his cunning by preaching to the world, that they shall not surely be punished on the DAY of transgression. That is a very pleasing doctrine to the wicked. They love to be told that the time of retribution is FAR IN THE DISTANCE, especially as that future punishment can all be escaped by taking the benefit of a spiritual bankruptcy, any hour before they die. Yes, he is a cunning preacher.

3. He is a very laborious, unwearied preacher. He has been in the ministry almost six thousand years, and yet his zeal is not in the least abated. The apostle Peter compares him to a roaring lion, roaming about seeking whom he may devour. He is far from being circumscribed within the narrow limits of parish, state or continental lines; but his haunts and travels are very large and extensive. Wherever the doctrine prevails that the wicked are not punished WHEN and WHERE they sin, the tempter is preaching the same sermon he preached to mother Eve.

4. He is a heterogeneous preacher, if I may so express myself. He mixes truth with error, in order to make it go well, or to carry his point. Nobody would bite at his hook if there was no truth on it. He quotes fluently from the Bible, but then we must receive his interpretation. If we dissent from it, all hell is in an uproar, and we must be kicked out of his church, and out of the world, if possible. Thousands have been burned at the stake, because they would not receive his interpretation of the Bible. He admits we have reason, but then it is carnal and not to be trusted; we must believe without the reason why. He admits there is one God, but there are three persons in the Godhead; that is, one makes three, and three one. Christ is the Son of God, and at the same time the Father; God is infinite in wisdom, power and goodness, but Christ came to reconcile him to us; God wishes to save all mankind but cannot; God can save all mankind, but wishes to damn some to glorify his justice; God’s justice requires the endless damnation of all men, but his mercy pleads for the salvation of all, and yet God’s attributes all harmonize. Men are born totally depraved, and utterly incapable of doing anything acceptable to God, yet it is the duty of men to repent and turn to God; Christ has made an atonement for the sins of the whole world, but half of the world will be damned eternally for their sins; God is a universal Father, God is love, and yet will mock and laugh at the eternal groans and pains of his children; heaven is the perfection of love, but the saints will shout glory, when they see their fathers, and mothers, and children, damned. Yes, he preaches truth as well as error.

5. He is a very presumptuous preacher. Notwithstanding God had declared on one occasion, in the most plain and positive manner, “On the DAY thou eatest thereof, shall thou surely die,” yet this audacious wretch had the impudence to confront Omnipotence, and say, “ye shall not surely die”—on the DAY of transgression—and he is still repeating the old sermon through the length and breadth of the land.

6. He is a very successful preacher. He draws a great number after him. No preacher can command hearers like him. He was successful with our first parents—with the old world. Noah once preached to the world that the judgments of heaven would shortly come on wicked men, but the tempter repeated his old sermon, and he made more converts than Noah did. So it was with the cities of the plains. Lot preached to them; the substance of which was, “Up, get out of this place: for the Lord will destroy this city.” Gen. xix. 14. But the old declaimer told them, no danger, no danger; God will not punish men in this world, and therefore will not destroy this city, to which they generally gave heed, and Lot seemed as one who mocked. They believed the Orthodox preacher and were consumed. The father of lies is a very successful preacher. He not only made converts of Adam and Eve, the Antediluvians and Sodomites, but he has proselyted most of the world. Nearly all mankind contend that God’s judgments are not in the earth. Dr. Franklin was about right when he said a lie would travel all over the country, while truth was putting on his boots.

II. Let us attend still more to the DOCTRINE inculcated by this preacher. Ye shall not surely die on the day of transgression. Bold assertion, without a single argument to support it. The death contained in the threatening was, doubtless, moral death. They did die to their former innocence, to the sweet communion which they had before enjoyed with the Father, to all the enjoyments of their beautiful garden of fruits and flowers. The Bible says, “To be carnally minded is death;” it is termed a “death in trespasses and sins;” “The wages of sin is death;” “You hath he quickened who were dead;” “We know we have passed from death unto life.” This is the death threatened, and the Almighty assured Adam that he would suffer it on the VERY DAY he sinned. But the preacher said, No, all is false, there is no punishment in this world, no hell, the wages of sin is not death.

III. We will now take notice of the hearers addressed by this preacher. This we have in the context. And the serpent said unto the woman, “Ye shall not surely die.” That Eve had not so much experience as Adam, is evident; and so she was not equally able to withstand temptation. This was doubtless the reason why the tempter chose her, with whom he might hope to be successful. Probably he took the time when she was separated from her husband.

That this preacher has always had the greatest success in the dark and ignorant parts of the earth, is evident; his kingdom is a kingdom of darkness. He is a great enemy of light. He will not permit his disciples to hear a religious or philosophical discourse, read a religious or philosophical book or paper, that contradicts his creed—they must be like the old knight, read only one side of the guide-board, and if they happen to get an idea the old creed don’t sanction, they are called heretics. They may think, but not out of a given circle; they may reason, provided they reason as the preacher does. And the consequence is, that where the people think, reason and read least, Orthodoxy has its truest adherents, and where the people think, reason and read most, the doctrine of Holy Writ is most prevalent, “Behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth, much more the wicked and sinner.” Prov. xi. 31.

IV. The instruments or mediums made use of by the preacher, will now be considered. Every person, creed and institution, that propagates the doctrine that men shall not surely die on the day of transgression, is an instrument of the father of lies.

1. Calvinism, Arminianism, Mormonism, Catholicism, Mahommedanism and Heathenism, tell us that this world is not one of retribution, that God does not here reward virtue or punish vice. They unite in teaching that this life is a state of probation, of trial, and of course no one is punished till his probation ends, his trial is closed. This is the deceiver’s first sermon gone to seed.

2. The preachers of all these isms are also his instruments. They are faithful to their father’s cause, and he is much attached to them. If one opposes their creed, some of them will at once exhibit the spirit of the devil.

3. The earth is deluged with books, pamphlets and papers, teaching that men shall not be punished on the day of transgression.