From the Christian Intelligencer.

AN HONEST CONFESSION.

Mr. Streeter-For some time past I have felt an inclination to write to you, and inform the public, through the medium of your valuable publication, of the change of my mind and heart, in relation to spiritual things. I hope to be excused for the broken manner in which I may communicate my ideas. For several years after I began to take some notice of the different denominations of Christians, I professed to be a Universalist, and frequently attended these meetings, especially if I heard of one at a distance from my home, so that I could have a ride on the Sabbath, and mingle with the multitude, who generally attended. But I must honestly confess that I rarely paid much attention to the preaching, when the speaker, as was usual, dwelt on moral and charitable subjects. Whenever a preacher began to describe moral characters, and set forth the duties of men, I was at once uneasy. Such things in a sermon were so displeasing to me, that I have frequently gone out of meeting to avoid them. The sacred truth is, that so long as I was spending a great part of my time out of meeting, in a habitual disregard of christian duties, it was not to be expected that I should be edified by a declaration of gospel requirements, from the preacher, Tho I was called a Universalist, I never joined any regular society, nor used any means to have a society organized, in the town where I reside. I kept along in the profession, without once asking myself, as before God, what Universalism was. At last, I happened to. mention to a Hopkintonian, the superior happiness attending a belief in Universalism. To which he replied by asking me which of us I thought was the happiest I told him hastily, that he was infinitely the happiest-that I was the miserablest wretch on earth! He smiled-and said, "But how comes that to pass, if your

man.

belief is so much better than mine ?" The question came like thunder, and in an instant, I discovered a serious truth, that I was not in reality a Universalist. I commenced a regular examination of myself, and found that I had no faith-no religion. Then turning my attention to the Bible, I saw myself as in a mirror-was brought to loathe my former irreligious conduct, and to enter into a covenant of righteousness with the wisdom from above. Blessed be God, I seem to be in a new world. My home is a little paradise-my neighbors manifest uncommon respect-real Universalists gladly hail me as a brother-and I feel to rejoice in all which surrounds me. I have drawn up a plan for the formation of a Society in this place, and shall use my endeavors to have preaching, at least one half of the time, the ensuing year.

Oct. 17, 1825.

A REAL UNIVERSALIST.

From the Universalist Magazine.

DIALOGUE BETWEEN A DEACON AND YOUNG MAN.

Some few years since, a periodical publication was commenced in Boston, designed to disseminate the doctrine of the Calvinistic Baptists, and to afford a convenient medium through which to communicate missionary news and other religious intelligence. A pious Calvinistic Deacon was the principal manager of the paper. After two or three numbers had been issued, a young man met the Deacon in the street, when a conversation took place between them, of which the following is the

substance.

Young Man. Good morning, Deacon, I am happy to see you, and to express to you the satisfaction I have taken in reading your paper. For some time, I have been convinced that the cause of truth required such a publication, and I am very glad that it is established in this place.

Deacon. Thank you, Sir; I am satisfied that such a paper may do good, if properly conducted. To be sure, our Missionary Magazine is very useful, and has done much good; but our paper has a decided superiority over that work, inasmuch as it not only comes out every week, giving missionary information much oftener, and consequently, much earlier than the Magazine, but it contains much of the news of the week, and is consequently taken by many who do not take the Magazine, and may give religious instruction to many who would not be likely to receive it from that.

:

Young Man. That's true, Sir; it was on those accounts that I was glad the work was established in this place; for, you know there are many here, who are anxious to read the newspapers, but cannot bear to read any religious works. I do hope it will fall into the hands of some careless ones, and be a humble mean of converting many sinners from the error of their ways. And, Deacon, there is one thing I had like to have forgotten to mention I told you I was much pleased with the paper, and so I was; but there is one thing I expected to find in it, which I have not yet seen. There is that Mr., the Universalist preacher, I understand he has monstrous great meetings,-that his meeting-house is crowded to overflowing; and I am told that a great many young people attend. I really hoped you would attack him, and sound the alarm, and caution the people against going to hear him, for it makes my heart ache to see so many poor souls led in the broad road, headlong to endless destruction.

Deacon. Ah, brother — , you are a young man ; you have not lived as long as I have, neither have you had as much experience; and when you have, you will think differently. The fact is, there are so many passages in the Bible that seem to favor the doctrine of the Universalists, that I think it best to have nothing at all

to do with them, but to let them alone, and contend earnestly for the truth.

Young Man. Well, Sir, I don't know but you are right; but it seems a pity that there should not be something done to stop the spread of falsehood.

Thus ended the conversation, which suggests this question; Is it not possible, and perhaps probable, that many who now treat the writings of Universalists with a cold indifference, have the same reason for it, that the Deacon had? THEODOSIUS.

From the Universalist Magazine.

ANECDOTE.

About two years after I began to preach, happening to call upon my old master, a rigid Calvinist, with whom I lived nearly seven years, I met in his shop a gentleman of this city, of the same sentiment, and if I recollect rightly, a member of Park-street church. He immediately began to converse with me upon the subject of religion, and after opposing me some little time, inquired how I should explain this passage of scripture,

"As death leaves us, so judgment will find us." I told him I confessed myself unable to explain that passage of scripture. He immediately began to upbraid me for my ignorance, and for my rashness in entering with such zeal into the cause of the Universalists when I was so young and so evidently unacquainted with spiritual things. I felt indeed very much ashamed, tho not for myself, but for him, who I saw had committed such a gross blunder. "Sir," said I, "in what part of the scriptures is that passage recorded ?" "In Psalms," was the reply. "How long, Sir, since you read it?” "Within a few months," he answered. "Can you point me to the Psalın " "I cannot; I do not recollect which Psalm it is in."-"Now, Sir," said I, "I must tell you

at me.

that there is no such passage in the Bible." He stared I repeated my words, and he continued to stare. "I have heard it brought forward before, Sir, and have therefore satisfied myself that it is not in the Bible." "Do you contradict me," said he; "I tell you I know that"-I interrupted him, and said, "it will be in vain for you to tell me you know it is in the Bible. Go home, Sir, carefully read your Bible through once for the purpose of ascertaining if it be there, and you will be satisfied that what I say is true." "Well, well," said he, "if Universalism is true, it makes no odds what we do,” and so he left me.

FIRE AND WATER.

Too much praise cannot be awarded to our Mayor and Aldermen, for their prudence and sagacity in locating the new Reservoirs, for water, for the extinguishing of fires-one is directly in front of the new Church in Hanover-street, where it is said the Rev. Dr. Beecher, now of Litchfield, is to be installed pastor-another is at the corner of Park-street, and a third at the corner of Milk-street, directly under the droppings of the Old South sanctuary.-N. E. Galaxy.

A CLERICAL JOKE.

Dr. Griffin, celebrated for orthodoxy and hot preaching, happening one morning to take breakfast with some of the more liberal creed, remarked that the coffee had a singular taste. The rest of the company could discoThe Doctor ver nothing but the flavor of the bean.

once more applied his gustatories, and was sure it had the "taste of sulphur." "I think," facetiously retorted his brother in black, "that the coffee is good enough, but you have not got the taste out of your mouth since last Sunday."-The (Phil.) Universalist.