Anyone have circumstantial (or other) evidence about who is the author of this little pamphlet? Google Books gives it a date of 1865.

I would also like to know.

A well-reasoned treatise ; well-supported by Scripture .... yet many Christians would still argue a place for some goodness in man. Do we still wonder why there are so many false conversions?

Syd: We don't argue for some goodness in man, but that the man convicted by the Holy Spirit might have the agency to choose to accept or reject Christ and salvation in Him. Otherwise, God sends millions who were conceived in sin, born in sin, having always had a sin nature, to spend eternity in hell, their having never had the opportunity to seek or accept salvation - conceived to spend eternity in Hell, with no possibility of salvation. Your God is very cruel. "God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9.

Very striking, but totally consistent with other early exclusive publications on the same theme.

I think the writer of the article asks the honest reader, who is prepared to search the Scriptures and to compare spiritual with spiritual, to see what God’s estimation of the sinful nature is.

I would be an idolater to have my own God—others may then justly judge that “your God is cruel.” I really think that the writer presents the only true God of the Scriptures; and this is my God, and I prefer to believe Him, rather than fallible, sinful man.

But does not grace and love and justification abound over sin, judgement and wrath—the just desserts of the sinner? And when all were dead in their trespasses and sins, and without strength, did not Christ in due time die for the ungodly? And propitiation having been made, can God not go out in mercy to the whole world, and command all men everywhere to repent; that He will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth? And is Christ not the only Mediator between God and men? And is it not that the gospel is for the whosoever?

The God who speaks through His Word in the scriptures quoted in the article, says that salvation is of Himself—totally. So indeed, it is through the Word preached and the work of the Holy Spirit that understanding, the opening of the eyes (that Paul spoke of), the conviction of sin, righteousness and judgement comes, and faith to believe. If God in mercy and love has given some “agency” to a person to choose, then praise the Lord! I see no cruelty in such a God.