UNIVERSALIST CHURCH, a religious body organized in the United States, and represented chiefly by parishes and churches in that country and Canada. A distinction should be noted be tween Universalism and the Universalist denomination. Universal ism—the belief that the whole human race will be "saved"—was a doctrine of some of the greatest of the Church fathers, notably Clement of Alexandria and Origen, and is now held by many in other communions. The Universalist denomination arose in the United States in the latter part of the 18th century.
The origin of this Church is commonly associated with the landing and preaching of Rev. John Murray at Good Luck, N.J., in September 177o. Murray, a disciple of James Relly (172o-1778), a Calvinistic Universalist of London, was seeking refuge in the new world from sorrow and trouble. Per suaded that he should be an apostle of this new faith, he became an itinerant minister in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and settled in Gloucester, Mass.
His Uni versalism was a protest against the doctrine of endless punishment. Under the leadership of Hosea Ballou (1771-1852), the most influential and honoured minister of the sect for half a century, Universalists became largely Unitarian and also broke with the Calvinism of Murray. The first period of the denomination's his tory was largely controversial. Religious and sectarian feeling pro and contra Universalism was intense. After 182o, ministers and churches began to multiply, and newspapers were established. Doctrine.—The fundamental tenet of Universalism may be said to be the illimitable love and goodness of God, assuring tri umph over evil in human society as a whole and in the life of every individual. The historic symbol of the denomination is the Win chester Profession, adopted at the meeting of the General Con vention—then a spontaneous yearly gathering of Universalists, without ecclesiastical authority—in Winchester, N.H., in Sept. 1803. It consists of three brief articles : Article I.—We believe that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and
New Testaments contain revelation of the character of God and of the duty, interest and final destination of mankind.
Article II.—We believe that there is one God, whose Nature is Love, revealed in one Lord Jesus Christ, by one Holy Spirit of Grace, who will finally restore the whole family of mankind to holiness and happiness.
Article III.—We believe that holiness and true happiness are inseparably connected, and that believers ought to be careful to maintain order and practise good works ; for these things are good and profitable unto men.
At a session of the General Convention in Boston in 1899 a brief statement of essential principles was adopted as follows : I. The Universal Fatherhood of God; 2. The Spiritual Author ity and leadership of His Son, Jesus Christ; 3. The Trustworthi ness of the Bible as containing a revelation from God; 4. The certainty of just retribution for sin; 5. The final harmony of all souls with God.
Polity.—Universalist parishes govern themselves but ac knowledge (theoretically) the authority of the Universalist Gen eral Convention, constituted of its officers, a board of trustees of 11 members, active ordained clergymen, two lay delegates (one a woman) from each parish and officers of the several State con ventions, which are subordinate to the General Convention.
According to the Universalist Year Book (1927) the denomination had 623 churches, 553 ordained ministers and 55,000-60,000 church members.
Universalist Quarterly Review (1843-91) ; T. Whittemore, Modern History of Universalism (183o) ; Richard Eddy, Universalism in America (2 Vols., 1884) ; J. C. Adams, Fifty Notable Years (1882) ; Abel C. Thomas, A Century of Universalism (187o) ; •T. B. Thayer, The Theology of Universalism (i862) ; J. M. Atwood (ed.), The Latest Word of Universalism, Essays by Thirteen Repre sentative Clergymen (188o) ; 0. Cone, Essays Doctrinal and Practical