KPD 799 HARVARD COLLENE LIBRARY Jan 31, 1940 DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, TO WIT : BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the eighth day of January A. D. 1831, in the fiftyfifth year of the Independence of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Walter Balfour of the said District, has deposited in this Office the Title of a Book, the Right whereof he claims as Proprietor, in the words following, to wit: 'Reply to Professor Stuart's Exegetical Essays on several Words relating to Future Punishment. By Walter Balfour, Charlestown, Mass.' In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled 'An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned:' and also to an Act entitled 'An Act suplementary to an Act, entitled an Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts and Books to the Authors and Proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned; and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints.' JOHN W. DAVIS, Clerk of the District of Massachusetts. LETTER I SIR, I AM highly gratified, that a man of your talents and standing, appears in defence of the doctrine of endless punishment. The public have long looked to Andover for such a defence, and Professor Stuart is the man they preferred doing it. Your book is styled, 'Exegetical Essays on several Words relating to Future Punishment.' I have never heard it disputed, that it was written to counteract the influence of my books, in which the same words are discussed. The title indicates this; my books seem directly alluded to, p. 151; and I presume you will not deny, that my views are denounced in the following quotation from pp. 12, 13. "The words that I have selected for present investigation, are Aion and Aionios, commonly translated forever, ever, eternal, everlasting; especially so translated, when they are connected with objects that relate to the invisible world. I have been induced to select these words, because I have, at various times, and especially of late, met with not a few speculations and criticisms on them, which are singular, and (in my view) widely departing from the sober rules of legitimate interpretation. I have seen, to my deep regret, many remarks on this awful subject, which seem to betray much levity and inconsideration of mind; and not a few, also, which disclose a resolute determination, (come what will of the laws of exegisis,) to support notions on the subject of a future state, that have been adopted independently of scriptural inquiry, and seem to be maintained in spite of all which the Bible has declared. I hope I shall not expose myself to censure here, by speaking thus respecting criticisms of this nature. I would not treat with disregard any opinion in theology or criticism, which appears to be the offspring of serious investigation and real effort to seek after the truth, al |