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The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2 - Contents
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    IX. “Fringe” Writers Complicate the Controversy

    Several “fringe” writers, moreover, appeared during this century. Among the rationalists there was French-born PIERRE BAYLE (1647-1706), professor of philosophy at the Protestant University of Sedan, and after its suppression and his removal, similarly professor of philosophy at Rotterdam. In his celebrated six-volume Dictionaire historique et critique (1695-1697)—which ran through eight editions in forty years, and was twice translated into English—in various places he opposes the doctrine of eternal torment, 4242) Cf. Abbot, op. cit., no. 3799. but from a skeptical viewpoint. Its publication added fuel to the spreading flame.CFF2 241.3

    Then there was the learned professor HENRY DODWELL (1641-1711), Irish-English classicist and theologian, educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He was made professor of ancient history at Oxford in 1688. His voluminous and “cumbrous” writings included An Epistolary Discourse (1706). This curious treatise sustained some of the principles of Conditionalism, but on a sacramentarian basis, supposing immortality to be a grace conferred by the effusion of the Holy Spirit, in baptism, and that none have the power of bestowing this immortalizing grace except the bishops. Its issuance created a storm of opposition and intensified the controversy, but it was defended by several writers. So the issues were complicated by certain of these “fringe” writers, not claimed by the Conditionalists.CFF2 242.1

    Such was the situation at the close of the eighteenth century.CFF2 242.2

    MAJOR 18TH CENTURY WITNESSES TO CONDITIONALISM

    No. Page Name Date Place Religion Position Nature of Man Intermediate State Punishment of Wicked 1 205 Blackburne, Fran. 1765 England Anglican Archdeacon — historian Immort. through res. Unconsciousness 2 214 Priestley, Joseph 1777-82 England — U.S. Dissenter Scientist — theologian Only mortal Abs. insensibility 3 218 Watts, Isaac 1740 England Independent Hymnist — theologian Subject to total death Utter destruction 4 221 Warburton, Wm. 1738 England Anglican Bp.— controvert. No eternal torment 5 224 Whiston, Wm. 1740 England Baptist Professor — minister (Mortal) Utter, ultimate destruction 6 227 Hallett, Jos. Jr. 1729 England Non—Conform. Minister Immort. only thru Christ Sleep 7 228 Anonymous 1729 England (Mortal) Total unconsciousness 8 230 Scott, Joseph N. 1743 England Dissenter Physician — theologian Immort. righteous only Ultimate annihilation 9 231 Law, Edmund 1745 England Anglican Bishop — prof. Immort. through res. Unconscious sleep 10 234 Peckard, Peter 156 England Anglican Ed. — rector No innate immort. Sleeping 11 236 Bourn, Samuel 1758-60 England Dissenter Minister Immort. gift of God Total extinction 12 239 Pitts, John 11708 England Anglican Presbyter Designed for immort. 13 239 Jackson, John 1735-47 England Anglican Rector No innate immort. No independ. exist. 14 240 Leland, John 1691-1766 England Non-Conform. Minister — writer Immort. thru Christ 15 240 Dawson, Benjamin 1765 England Presbyterian — Anglican Philologist — minister Asleep in death 16 240 Alexander, John 1766 England Presbyterian Min. — comment. Mortal 17 240 Clarke, George 1792 England Immort. for righteous Destruction by fire 18 240 Kenrick, Wm. 1751 Ireland Not immortal 19 240 Marsom, John 1794 England Destruction 20 241 Tottie, John 1772 England Anglican Archdeacon No innate immort. 21 241 “Goadby’s Bible” 1759 England Destruction 22 241 Bayle, Pierre 1695-97 France — Holland Protestant Prof. — hist. Denies eternal torment 23 242 Dodwell, Henry 1706 Ireland — England High Church Prof. No innate immort. (Universalism slowly takes on a separate entity as a distinct church.)

    SUMMARY OF CONDITIONALISM DURING THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.

    There is no particular transition point discernible in passing from the seventeenth to the eighteenth century. But there is a growing seriousness and scholarly validity that marks the overall witness of the new century. The scene is again centered chiefly in England—with one noted advocate migrating to the United States about the time of the Revolution of 1776.

    T’he religious spread is again seen to be between Anglican, Dissenter, Baptist, Non-Conformist, and Presbyterian spokesmen. “Fringe” writers, who both help and hamper, are found in France, Holland, and Ireland. The stature of the champions of Conditionalism is again clearly seen by the roster—archdeacons, historians, theologians, clergymen, hymnists, scientists, educators, physicians, commentators, schoolmasters, teachers, and two bishops—and an anonymous Anglican.

    Again there is balanced stress of the mortality of the soul, unconsciousness in death, and the total ultimate extinction of the wicked. And for the first time a reliable scholarly history appears, by Francis Blackburne, of the conflict over Conditionalism—tracing it from the beginning of Protestantism up to 1772, a century and a half of the crucial years of the recovery of a hidden and well-nigh abandoned doctrine, so far as the Middle Ages are concerned.

    So Conditionalism is now in a far stronger position, is accorded much greater respect by its foes, and is gradually but steadily on the increase influence and adherents in the eighteenth century. It is approaching the acceleration point in the nineteenth century.

    Thus much for Conditionalism in the eighteenth century.

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