“Do you not believe that God’s purpose will be achieved?” asked the Lieutenant.
“Certainly, it will.”
“Then,” said the Lieutenant, “if the Lord intended to save all men, why are they not saved?”
“Because they will not be.”
“You are then driven to the conclusion,” replied the Lieutenant, “that men are more powerful than God. He wants to save them, and intends to save them, but they will not allow Him. They defeat God’s intentions.”
“No; I do not mean that exactly,” said Ernest.
“Well, what do you mean?”
“Why,” answered Ernest, “I mean that God made equal provisions for all, and determined to treat all alike.”
“Then all the plan you admit was, that Christ made a sort of general atonement, but determined nothing in regard to the salvation of any particular individual? It was not certain that any would be saved?”
“O, of course, He knew that some would be saved, and some lost.”