My endeavor to strip religious subjects of
needless mystery, was represented as an attempt to substitute a vain
philosophy for the Gospel of Christ. An expression of dissatisfaction
with a grandiloquent but foolish and mischievous sermon on the "Cross
of Christ," was set down as a proof that my views on the sacrifice of
Christ were not evangelical. My endeavors to show that Christianity was
in harmony with reason, were mistaken for an attempt to substitute
reason for faith, and became the occasion of a rumor that I was running
into Pelagianism or Socinianism. My own conviction was, that I was
coming nearer to the simplicity, the purity, and the fulness of the
Gospel; and that is my conviction still. And those of my brethren in the
ministry who were in advance of the rest in point of intelligence and
piety, and who were least infected with foolish fear and jealousy,
expressed to me their satisfaction with my views and proceedings. And
the people listened to my discourses with the greatest delight. They
flocked to hear me in crowds; and the crowds continually increased. And
many were benefited under my ministry. Sinners were converted, and
believers were comforted, and stimulated to greater efforts in the cause
of God.
To those, however, who had come to believe that I was drifting towards
heresy, all this was the occasion of greater alarm, and my great success
and growing popularity led them to make increasing efforts to lessen my
influence, or silence me altogether.
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