The Life and Labors of the Late Rev. William Stevens Balch

CHARACTER AS A PREACHER:-The Ministry His Great Leading
Purpose-His Were Sermons; not Essays-His Style Simple
-A Great Preacher Because a Greater Teacher-A Self-made
Man, Only God Made Him-His Sermons Intensely Practical
-A Great Reformer-A Memorable Sermon Before the Gen-
eral Convention in 1840-His High Ground Upon the Reform
Character of Our Religion, Placing Him in the Front Rank-
Always a Universalist, but Never a Bigot-His the True View
of Liberality-Holding to a few Fundamentals with Greatest
Tenacity, He Was Still Opposed to too Much Creed-Theology
-Thought by Some to be Belligerant-Always Open and
Above Board-Honored by his Publications-His Spirit
Missionary as Shown by all His Societies-His Preaching in
Vermont and New Hampshire in 1827-8-Taking Him a

CHAPTER VIII-CONTINUED.

PAGE.

Wife and Going to Albany in 1829-Watertown, Mass., in

1830 Claremont, N. H., in 1832-Providence, R. I., in

1836-New York City in 1841-Preaching Seventeen Years

in New York, He Thought to Retire to a Rural Home in Lud-

low, Vt.-Left Ludlow, Coming West in 1865–His Ministry

From that on, in Galesburg, Hinsdale, Elgin, Ill., and

Dubuque, Iowa-His Last Years Mostly Spent in Elgin in a

Settlement of Some Six Years-His Pastorate in Dubuque

from 1977 to 1880-Testimonials of Friends-Lengthy Ser-

mons- -His Powers of Eloquence Which Made Him Sought

After for Funeral and Other Occasions, and Brought Him

Near to the Hearts of Many...

CHAPTER IX.

SOCIAL AND SYMPATHETIC QUALITIES AS A PASTOR:-His Won-

derful Social and Sympathetic Nature, in Which Christian-

ity Found His Heart-His Religion in the Direction of

Humanity, Seizing All Opportunities for Doing Good-

His Relations Those of Love and Good Will-His Presence

a Benediction in the Home of the Sorrowing-Mrs. Saule,

'Tender, Reverent, Memory".

CHAPTER X.

SERMONS AND EXTRACTS:-His Number of Published Sermons

Not Great-Largely of a Monitory Character-Sermon

Preached Before the Illinois State Convention-"The Puri-

fying Nature, and Good of Universalism "-Its teaching-

The Character of the Believer-"The Pastor's Duty"-

"The future Life" a Progress and Growth-An Occasional

Sermon on 'Working the Works of God"-Need of

Organization, but Work More-A Work of Our Own

Hearts-Personal and Denominational-Our Name an Excel

lent One-" Creeds and Sects in Heaven"-"What Heaven

is Like”—“Teachings of Jesus"-Written Articles and Ad

dresses "The Changed Condition of Thought and Feeling,

Demanding a Change of Action "-Fraternal Feeling Among

Brethren-His Views of Future Punishment-Refused to

Speculate Concerning Such Matters-Many Articles "On

155

CHAPTER X-CONTINUED.

PAGE.

the Situation Denominational Policy "-" The Profes-

sion of Belief"-" Have to Advance the Church"-" The

True Object of Religious Organization "-"Fifty Years Ago

and Now"-" To Whom is Universalism Acceptable"-

Incidents Showing this Last.......

CHAPTER XI.

LETTERS AND CORRESPONDENCE:-Wide

Reputation as a

Writer - Uncommon Power of Narration His Enlarged

Correspondence With Friends - To be Squared Up at the

End of the Year - These, Occasions of Moralizing – Finds

Much to do After Concluding His Pastorates -Just as

Anxious for the Cause- Feels a Strangeness in Being

What He Calls "a Boarder in His Own House"-Is More and

More Convinced That the Plain Gospel is What Must Save

JOURNEYS AND TRAVELS:-A Great Admirer of Nature-
Wanted to go Into the World to See It A Strange Desire
to Visit Where Jesus Had Stood and Taught — To Become
More Familiar With Scenes and Events of Ancient History
His After Delight in Lecturing Upon These Subjects -
What persons Have Said of These Lectures - For What
Purpose He Traveled at Home and Abroad - His "Ireland
As I Saw It ". The Dreadful Condition of That People-
Worse Than the American Slave System - The Responsi-
ble Parties — His Sympathies Ever With the Common Peo-
ple His Politics - Never of a Partizan Character - Was
the People's Man — Opposed to Aristocracy- Large Work
to be Done Among the Rich-Town and Country Life-
Wickedness of Cities - How Wealth is Produced - A
Lesson from New York City- His Identification With What
Was Termed the "Darr Rebellion" While Yet a Peace
Man-He is Called In to Help Quell the Violent Spirit that
had Been Evoked His Second Visit Abroad - Makes His
Way Hurriedly Along Over Countries Visited Previously-
Speaks of the Beautiful but Bigoted Scotland — Germany