to make their systems of theology so complete. Of course they are
complete in the divine mind. But they cannot be so in ours. We see but a
short way into the whole scheme of things. And when men thought that
God's plan of grace is restricted to the present life, it is not so
surprising that they favored the idea of a limited Atonement. They
believed that air of God's purposes of salvation are realized in this
life. But when we realize that God's saving plans extend into the next
life, it is not hard to believe in the Atonement being universal. Thus
we can take the plain statements of Scripture in their obvious sense,
without twisting them into unison with some preconceived theory.

In my view we ought to accept the plain statements of the Word of God.
If they seem to involve impossibilities, let us wait for further light.
To me it seems that universal Atonement involves universal Restoration:
and that idea solves the whole difficulty.

A noted Professor of Theology once sought to entrap me on that very
point. I took a firm stand on the universal theory of the Atonement, He
wanted to know what that would lead to; evidently hoping to commit me to
Universalism. I said that if it was revealed we ought to accept it, no
matter what it led to. At that time I had not accepted the idea of
Restoration, but I strongly believed in the universality of the
Atonement. Now the idea of Restoration rounds out and completes
that view.


A SPONTANEOUS ANSWER.

I fully believe that in this matter I do not stand alone. I believe that
this same liberal view of the Atonement is held, consciously or