Tracing the history of Universalism from A.D. 90 all the way to A.D. 1500, this is an important volume in the literature of the Universalist Church. Argues that Universalism was widely accepted in the earlier centuries of the Church. Hosea Ballou 2nd (1796-1861) was Tufts University's first President and its first Professor of History and Intellectual Philosophy. He was the grand-nephew of Hosea Ballou (1771-1851), author of A Treatise on Atonement and prominent early Universalist. In his History of Opinions on the Scriptural Doctrine of Retribution, Edward Beecher said of Ballou's book, "The work is one of decided ability, and is written with great candor and a careful examination of authorities."