The Universalist. [volume], August 07, 1897, Image 1

About The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897

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VOL. XIV. iHKMKKff"-} CHICAGO AND CINCINNATI, SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 1897. NO. 82
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{The Univegalisff
__.._,.__ m
A RELIGIOUS AND FAMTC, WEEKLY
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CONTENTS.
CHICAGO. SATURDAY, AUG 7. 1887.
Pace One.
Editorial Briefs.
Winchester and Meriden.
The New Time and its Duty.
Universalist Thought.
Pace Two.
Detroit Convention Address—Christian Cit
izenship.
In Reply to Bro. Crosley.
Some Common Mistakes Touching Educa
tion.
Pace Three.
The Sunday School Lesson.
Page foar,
Editorial:
An Old Argument Newly Surveyed.
The Newly Discovered Sayings of Christ.
The Third Factor of History.
Letter From Kansas.
Universalist Personal.
The Religious Press.
Pace Vive,
Chnrch News and Correspondence.
Page Six,
The Family Page. Farm. Garden and Dairy.
Page Seven,
Our Boys and Girls.
Pace Eight.
Church Notices and In Memoriam.
EDITORIAL BRIEFS.
BY PRESIDENT I. M. ATWOOD, D. D.
Somk not very astute people consider
it a justifiable reason for taking the
wrong side that somebody else was
eager and early in taking the right side.
If they had not been so fast or so zeal
ous, we hear them saying, we Bhould
have been with them. But they spoiled
everything by their impetuosity. We
have watched this sort of thing often
and closely, and we are constrained to
say that we doubt whether these per
sons, now on the wrong side, and con
ceding sb much, would ever have gotten
on the right side it left to their own
pace. They are now where they have
been all along. The only change is that
the fact has been made manifest. But
if we could credit them with the wish
and the purpose to get on the right
side of their own motion, we must still
insist that they are utterly illogical and
defenceless when they take the wrong
side because some other persons have
taken the right.
—If we knew how to separate our facts
from our theories about them we should
grow wise much faster. Facte are often
collected that they may do duty for a
theory, not to let them tell their own
story. It is for this reason that the
bureaus of statistics become so valua
ble. They are impartial: They set
forth what has been found and leave
others to reason about it. Perhaps the
greatest value of modern science con
sists in the wide and minute search for
facts which it conducts, and in the color
less presentation of this to the world.
Facts are not knowledge, it is true; but
they are the raw material of knowledge.
When we see the facts in their correct
relations; or to state the same truth
differently, when the theories we frame
are supported by the facts and all the
facts, we have attained unto know
ledge.
—“Out of a Young Man’s Life” is the
label worn by a little volume of verse
which comes to us in dainty attire from
the press of the McCoy and Calvin Co.,
Meadville, Pa. The author is a young
man to whom, erstwhile, we sought to
impart the knowledge, not how to write
poems, but how to preach sermons. How
he preaches in prose we have no present
means of verifying. But this little book
proves that he is a ready rhymer and
has a skill, evidently native, in turning
hie sermon thoughts into verse. Fancy,
rhythm, poetic impulse are here in good
measure, and we feel us we read that the
“Young Man” has in him the promise
and potency of more sustained flights.
He is beguiled somewhat by the ease
with which he makes phrases and is
not so careful to be signticant and ex
act as would be well. Mr. Waehburne
should not cultivate his muse less, but
his power of concentration and precision
more.
—If we are ever to have any rupture
of the friendly relations so loi g subsist
ing between this country and England,
we trust it may be over soma subject of
real magnitude. The fur of a seal is
something, but not much, not enough to
quarrel over. To ba sure we want our
rights; but it may be that our rights
are only the interest of a very small
number of people in a relatively insigni
ficant business. Let us not get into a
pertubation over a thing too small to
waste our indignation upon. Secretary
Sherman has spoken up rather sharply,
some Bay insolently, and the "tone” of
his letter has irritated the Times and
the Saturday Review. Probably the
Queen is still serene and Salisbury is
unruffled. What has been said at home
shows that we are not ready to pick a
quarrel on the ground of the supposed
suppression of a scientific report. Let
us have peace.
—The new gold field ie far away, and
the developed mines are as yet all be
yond our territorial lines. The wise
onee, the “old miners” and the map
makers are quite certain that the lodes
all run into the United States and that
the gold will finally prove to be not
British but American. The Yukon val
ley is a desolate region and the season
of practicable mining is short. This bints
at a repetition of the disappointment
and suffering which have attended the
opening of nearly all the new gold fields
in modern times, whether in America or
Australia. The fever is already run
ning high. If it attacks only two per
sons in every ward and township the
Klondyke country will be more densely
populated than Arabia. That there is
gold there in considerable amounts
seems well established. But it is ac
cording to unvarying history that the
average amount secured by those who
flock to the new fields is something less
than might have been earned in regular
pursuits at home.
—The new tariff bill is expected by
its promoters to introduce the long
delayed “era of prosperity.” Its op
ponents in the press as well as in the
Senate say that it gives a gratuity of
812,000,000 to the sugar trust, large
bounties to rich classes and corpora
tions, and to the government little or
nothing. The event alone will test the
accuracy of these calculations and pre
dictions. The Senate experts figured
out an income from the new bill of 8109,
000,000, which is several millions less than
the income from the same sources for the
current year. The large income of the
year 1897, is due, however, to the exces
sive importations made in anticipation
of the passage of this bill. But since
these must operate to reduce importa
tions for two or three years to come,
it must be confessed that the prospect
of improvement in the government rev
enues is less bright than one could wish.
—A correspondent asks the “Outlook”
on what Bible promise do you base the
hope of the final salvation of the hu
man race?” It is plain from this query
that some readers of that excellent re
ligious journal construe its not infre
quent deliverances on the subject of the
purpose and effect of the Gospel to
mean universal salvation. This is not
a matter of surprise. Probably nine in
ten of the laity in the UniverBaliet
church would take the editorial on the
“Larger Love,” in the number for July
17th, to teach Universalism; and it is
not clear to any one that it was not so
intended. Yet when one looks closely
he cannot find anywhere an explicit af
firmation of the Universalist faith. The
answer to this correspondent makes a
distinction between "the attainment of
everlasting blessedness by every indi
vidual that ever lived,” and the promise
"that the universe of existing beings
will ultimately be brought into harmony
with God.” The latter the Outlook
says is what the Bible promises.
—It is worth while to inquire whether
there is really any difference between
these two things. Can the universe of
existing beings be brought ultimately
into harmony with God without bring
ing every individual that has ever lived
into everlasting blessedness? It is evi
dent that it some individuals fail of at
taining everlasting blessedness "the
universe of existing beings” will not be
brought into harmony with God,—unless
it is supposable that everlasting blessed
ness can be attained without coming
into such harmony. Since that alter
native is inadmissible, suppose we take
the other—the one which we under
stand the Outlook to favor, that the
very wicked destroy themselves and so
disappear from the "universe of exist
ing beings.” Now it is plain, that if a
hundred millions, say, of beings existing
at one time may perish and so not be
considered in the universe of existing
beings, 1200 millions, or the whole hu
man race may so disappear without af
fecting the "promise.” This is an effect
ual way of "making the promise of God
of none effect.” Either the promise of
gathering "the universe of existing
beings” into the fold of God includes
"every individual that has ever lived,”
or it is a rhetorical flourish without per
tinence or value.
Canton Thkological School.
—Intelligence has just been received
in this country of a terrible outbreak of
tbe great volcano of Mayon, on tbe
island of Luzon, one of the Philippine
group. On the night of June 2Gth thie
volcano began throwing up aehes and
lava in immense quantities, and flames
were thrown up considerably over a
hundred feet above the crater. The
next day fifty-six bodies were recovered
at a considerable distance, and more re
cent dispatches to Hong Kong up to
July 8th, stated that not less than oOO
were known to be killed. It was proba
ble, said the dispatches, that tbe loss of
life would reach into the thousands, de
pending on the length of the eruption.
OUR CONTRIBUTORS.
WINCHESTER AND MERIDEN *
BY ff. W. HANSON, D.D.
Tue prolonged and quite general
discussion relative to the Winchester
Profession that has now occupied
our conventions and press for nearly
twenty years has settled one fact be
yond controversy,—that while there
are differences of opinion concerning
some of its forms of expression, no
one has yet been able to construct a
substitute that so well meets the
views of the general mind as the
time-honored formula that for a
century has stood as our doctrinal
symbol. Almost any one could bet
ter express his individual thought,
but no one has been able to give the
denominational consensus in terms
so brief, comprehensive and satisfac
tory.
The office of a creed is not to des
cribe all that any one holds as
Christian truth, or all that the ma
jority of a church may consider as
true, but to inform the world of the
distinguishing doctrines which a sect
holds in common for substance of
belief. While it is confessed that in
dividuals may be able to improve the
phraseology of our profession from
their standpoints, the result up to
date has proved that the suggestions
of individuals are not generally satis
factory to others.
From my own view point slight
changes would be an improvement.
The word destiny, or condition, would
be better than “destination” in Art, I.
But the change is not of sufficient
consequence to justify much dis
cussion.
Aside from this verbal defect Art. I.
seems to me absolutely perfect. In
its statement of the position of the
Bible, no form of words could be
better. The Scriptures are “holy,”
not merely a portion of ancient liter
ature, but a “revelation” of the
character of God and of the duty and
destiny of men.
And the one word “contains” is a
remarkable word when all the cir
cumstances of the times are con
sidered. Christian churches without
exception taught the inerrancy of the
Bible, its plenary inspiration. The
authors of this document declare
that the book contains the word of
God, the divinely inspired message,
and almost a century afterward the
slow scholars and theologians of other
churches, reached the conclusion
found by these unlettered but pro
found men. Briggs, Swing, Thomas,
Abbott, and the better portion of most
churches concede the human element
—the divine treasure is contained in
earthen vessels—but the treasure is
there. The Bible is uot the word of
God but contains it. Its religious
meanings, its teachings have been re
vealed, and they are authoritative.
The meaning of the Bible is the
Bible, and that is final in all religious
matters. To stand outside of this posi
tion is to be non-Christian ; inside
is that truly rational Christianity
toward which all sects are hasten
ing.
Art. II. is objected to by some be
cause it is alleged to teach the trinity.
But the New Testament and our
Lord’s own words are quite as ob
jectionable. Matt, xxviii. 19: “Go
forth, disciple all the nations, baptiz
ing in the name of the Father, and of
the Son. and of the Holy Spirit.”
Those who except to this article on
the ground of its trinitarian flavor
have a more serious controversy to
settle with the author of Christianity.
The language does not imply the
eqality of three persons, or even the
personality of the spirit. Read it with
a dash after “love” and before “who,”
aud the meaning of the fathers and
our own thoughts will be perfectly
expressed: “There is one God, whose
nature is love—revealed in one Lord
Jesus Christ, by one holy spirit of
Grace,—who,” that is, God, “will
finally restore,” etc.
The omission of Fatherhood in this
article is a defect, though it may be
said to be included in love which
contains fatherhood. But we mint
confess that the article would have
been improved had it read: “We be
lieve that there is one God, the uni
versal father.” etc.
The word, however, that has been
productive of most difference of feel
ing is the word “restore.” I think it
would have been better to sav that j
God will finally save the whole family !
of mankind,” or “bring them to holi- j
ness and happiness,” or that they will
attain to it, than to say they will
be restored to a condition in which
they never were. Maukiud was never
holy and happy, and, therefore, can
‘Ki nd by request at a ministerial reception to
Kev. K. A. Blsbee, D. D., In Bnsadeua, Cal.,
July 20th.
not be taken back to it, as the word
restore implies.
And yet, as Christ teaches that en
trance into the Kingdom of God can
only be had by those who become
like little children; that is, that they
must be renewed, restored to where
they where when new, it must be con
fessed that restoration to a quasi holi
ess, the innocence of childhood, is a
Christian doctrine. Though not the
best word—save would be better—
and though I have in our conventions
earnestly contended for its elimina
tion, yet, rather than make its relin
quishment an open door of continual
agitation, I would retain it in Art.
II. The family at the beginning was
no doubt holy and happy, though
small. It is not inaccurate to say
that the family could be restored to
its original conditions, not, of course,
to that anthropoid apehood which
the nightmare of evolution supposes,
but to that happy innocence and obe
dience which revelation declares to
have been the original status of man
kind.
Art. III. has been unfavorably
criticized becauseof what is described
as the utilitarianism of the conclud
ing sentence, obedience is “good and
profitable unto men.” The truthful
ness of the statement is not denied,
but it is said that the motive appealed
to is not sufficiently elevated. Con
fessedly it had been well to say “well
pleasing to God and profitable to
men.” And yet when it is remembered
that nothing commanded by God is
not profitable to men, when it is con
sidered that either statement includes
the other, the objection has very little
weight. Besides, our Lord himself
appeals to this motive: “Love thy
neighbor as thyself.” We cannot love
another as ourself until we have that
self-love that gauges our love for him.
The clause objected to is not an
appeal to selfishness but to that self
love which will forbid wrongdoing
and prompt to duty. And the appeal
is one that will be more potent with the
great mass of mankind than the
higher one of pleasing God, and will
naturally develop into the higher. Its
equal truthfulness and potency
should retain the clause.
If I were to reconstruct the Profes
sion would read thus (changes in
dicated by italics'):
“We believe that the Holy Scrip
tures of the Old and New Testaments
contain a revelation of the character
of God, and of the duty, interest and
final condition of mankind.
“We believe that there is one God
the Universal Father, whose nature is
love, revealed in one Lord Jesus
Christ by one holy spirit of grace,—
who will save from sin and sorrow
the whole family of mankind.
“We believe that holiness and true
happiness are inseparably connected
and that believers ought to be care
ful to maintain order and practise
good works, for these things are
pleasing to God and good and profit
able unto men.
But the changes here suggested
and all those proposed are compara
tively trivial, and the symbol of our
faith is a far better expression of our
church position without so much
change as the dotting of an i or the
crossing of a t, than the Meriden
substitute. Look at this substitute
a moment.
Article I. Btates: “The universal
Fatherhood of God and the univer
sal brotherhood of man.’’ Now,
1. There is nothing distinctive in
these words. They are held by most
other Christian sects. A credal state
ment should give the characteristic
principles of a sect. There is noth
ing in this language that justifies the
existence of a denomination.
2. It is redundant and superfluous.
If God is the universal father it goes
without saying that mankind is a
universal brotherhood.
3. This creed does not state
whether these doctrines of father
hood and brotherhood are attained
by induction or deduction, from
science, reason, or where. That the
Bible as their source and origin is
ignored. A Christian sect should
trace its principles to the Christian
Scriptures.
Article II. gives no pre eminence
to the Bible or to the teachings of
our Lord. Any theist or deist could
subscribe to its statement. The
words of Jesus are not pronounced
to be authoritative.
Article III: “Spiritual oneness with
God” is salvation we. are told. But
what is spiritual oneness with God?
Absorption into Deity as the rain
drop is absorbed in the sea, some
would say. Extinction of individu
ality. This was probably not the
thought of the author, but its ob
scurity of expressiou subjects it to
this construction. The real meaning
should be better expressed.
“Christ will finally gather in one
the whole family of mankind.” One
what? Not one family, for mankind
is already one family. The author
probably meant to say “salvation
consists in spiritual resemblance to
God who, through Christ, will finally
draw to himself in obedience the
whole family of mankind. If he did
mean this why could he not have
said it?
Briefly this proposed substitute—
1. Does not recognize the Bible as
a revelation.
2. Does not state that universal
salvation is derived from the Bible.
3. Does not recognize the funda
mental fact of God’s love.
4. Does not state the connection
between holiness and happiness.
5. Ignores the existence of the
Holy Spirit; does not seem “to have
heard whether there is any holy
spirit.”
6. Ignores the Lordship and divin
ity of Christ.
Indeed it Is indefinite, inconclusive,
in no sense an adequate statement
of Christian belief, and is wholly un
worthy to compete with that clear,
definite, brief, comprehensive synop
sis of our faith, the Winchester Pro
fession, which I trust will continue to
occupy the position it has filled for
almost a century.
THE NEW TIME AND ITS DUTY.
BY C. W. TOMLINSON, D.D.
When the proclamation of Universal
ism began it may be that conditions
called chiefly for combat. Possibly—I
am unwilling to say more than possibly
—argumentative doctrinal defence stout
antagonism to prevailing dogmas, the
uptearing of the old fire pit, was the
only thing which opportunity allowed
to be done. Let that be conceded if you
wish. But in respect to that the victory
is now ours. At least those creeds in
their moBt terrorizing aspects find now
few so poor in thought and hope and
faith as to do them reverence. There
are no longer "infants in hell not a span
long." None now think as did Jonathan
Edwards, that by his own sovereign and
vindictive might, an angry God will hold
the sinner in literal and eternal flames.
None dream that the pit of unceasing
torment is to be crowded by receiving
the vast majority of the entire human
race, whilst heaven will have but 'hero
and there a wanderer." It seems but a
terrible dream that such things could
ever have been taught and received as
from him who brought "glad tidings of
great joy which shall be unto all peo
ple,” as the actual gospel of him whose
coming angels heralded with songs. But
there it is in the abiding literature of
the church. Its proclamation is within
the memory of some and I say that at a
time when this was the teaching of the
pulpit and of the religious press, it may
be that the heralds of a more hopeful gos
pel could find opportunity for little Ibbs
than controversy. Even now we are not
beyond the need of doctrinal defence.
Even now there are multitudes hunger
ing and thirsting for a better knowledge
of the word; agonizing in soul because
they cannot see the way through what
to them are mist covered reefs closing
the way to the smooth waters of faith.
It is a frequent complaint made now
against our pulpits that they do not en
lighten the people upon these subjects
as of old.
With that complaint lam not without
sympathy, but I see also another Bide of
the matter. I see that whilst this need is
yet large, another is comparably greater.
What was it that gave most rapid spread
to Christianity in its infant days? Do
you think that under God, it was solely,
or even chiefly, the preaching of the
word? Doubtless nothing could have
been achieved without that. But when
men were moved to exclaim, "Behold
how these Christians love one another!”
when Christianity was seen to be the
synonym of philanthropy, then the faith
Bpread itself over two continents, then
the word of God grew and multiplied,”
"What dost thou work” was the question
the Jews of his day put to the Saviour of
“the world; and that is the question
which evermore will be put to all who
come claiming the public ear. Theorists
are at a heavy discount in the market of
the world until they can show that their
theories have practical importance.
Electricity was a plaything until Frank
lin drew it from the clouds; now we har
ness it to our carriages and compel it to
drive the spindles of our mills.
Our opportunity has come. We are
no longer obliged to labor sword in hand,
as did the Jews when rebuilding the
city’s walls. We can do some quiet
work. We can show to the world that
we are not idle theorists, not mere nega
tive overthrowers of what other men
have builded. Naturally in those old
days of awful thunderings and light
nings, the man who merely did not be
lieve in a hell of eternal tire, felt himself
drawn to the Universaliste. Has not the
hour of high noon arrived when denials
should no longer suffice? We have de
fended the faith of universal salvation
but the salvation we have taught is not
merely awaiting us beyond death's river.
Putting oft the earthly frame will not
bring us to its joys. It does not consist
in residence within sapphire gates or
jewelled walls. SittiBg beside an angel
will not ensure it. Only aB we ourselves
put on the likeness of an angel shall we
know its bliss. For this the soul is bus
ceptible here and today. The beatitudes
of the Sermon on the Mount were not
spoken of the life in the spheres onlj;
they were spoken of the life of mar, be
his place of abode here or there. "Be
hold, now is the accepted time; behold,
now is the day of salvation.” Salvation
is of the soul, and not of its place. Sal
vation is purity of thought, word and
deed. It is cleanness at the springs of
our daily life. It is the soul centered in
righteousness, love and truth. It is
childlike trust in God, and Godlike love
of man.
Now, if we say to the world that all
men are thus to be saved, are we more
than idle theorists if we do not, in some
measure show our faith by our own per
sonal and combined endeavors to set the
world forward on its better way? Such
salvation is not to be accomplished by
miracle. We cannot "hold still and Bee
this salvation of God.” We are to be
God's co-laborers in the work. It is edu
tion, enlightenment, helpfulness. It is
the work of lifting up from whatever
degradation to a higher plane of life. It
has been going on under Christ in this
world for these eighteen hundred years.
Every better thought put into the mind;
every better impulse to the bouI; every
loosening of the cords that bind one to
an evil life; every opening of doors lead
ing to Bweeter airs; every institution es
tablished that supplies purer associa
tions; every more just and righteous law
put upon the statute book; every more
merciful and humane provision for the
suffering;—in a word, every act or speech
or look that brings the sense of sympathy
to the breast of those who have thought
themselves outcast, and every banding
together of men and woman for bene
ficent counsel or deed, is a new step
taken toward realizing this salvation
which we believe is some day to be uni
versal.
All men thus to be saved? Then all
are susceptible to Eaving endeavor. All
men can be lifted out of baseness.
Every man can be helped to a better
life, a purer soul, nobler desires, holier
loves. There is something of the divine
in each, which, by human brotherly ef
fort, assisted by God’s grace, can be
brought out. That is what is involved
in the faith of universal salvation. The
words are empty, meaningless, if not so
intended. And what I would now urge
upon your most serious and devout con
sideration is, that whatever may have
been the exigencies preventing it in the
past, the general temper i^f theChristian
world is now such thai we are free to
pursue our convictions to their legiti
mate application. Free, did I say?
Bound! Bound by the high trust com
mitted to us by heaven. We are to be
saviours of men, armed by this faith
that “the kingdom of heaven is at
hand” for them, and inspired by the
love displayed in the cross of Christ.
Without fanaticism, but not without
leaning on Heaven’s arm, and with in
telligent recognition of the truth that
all genuine progress, all wholesome and
enduring improvement among men
must be from within—must be a growth
and a ripening of manhood and woman
hood, a quickening of the divine pulses
of the soul;—with intelligent conviction
of this, we are to prove our faith by our
works. I had as lief be a senseleEB
heathen prating to his idols, as a mere
contender for a difference of words in
the statement of Christian belief?
What is it worth? To what use can
you put it? What do you really propose
to achieve with it? These are questions
the answers to which alone can decide
whether our differences of belief from
others in the Christian world are more
important than the braying of an ass.
Do we yearn to have the nightmare of
beliefs inherited from the middle ages
vanish before the coming century shall
have reached its noon? No other argu
ment will accomplish it without the ar
gument furnished by the active devo
tion of our church to every work of
moral healing, of mental enlightment
and spiritual quickening. The work of
making it “easier for men to do right,
and more difficult for them to do
wrong;" the work of smoothing the path
of justice, of cementing the ties of
brotherhood, of stilling the demon and
awaking the angel—that is the work of
him who would write his name as a dis
ciple of Jesus Christ. That will count
for more and more in the Christian
world as the generations follow each
other into the eternal silence.
Nkwakk, N. Y.
—The king of Siam is visiting Eng
gland. He goes everywhere and die
plays the greatest interest in everything
he sees. He is as great on questions as
Li Hung Chang. On his visit to the
House of Lords he was impressed by the
famous canvas therein representing
Moses descending from Mount Sinai
bearing the tables of the law. The King’s
knowledge did not extend to this sub
ject, and upon being told what the paint
ing represented, he asked: "And who
was MoseB?" Perhaps Robert Ingersoll
could inform him.
—Lady Henry Somerset has been so
long at the head and front of temper
ance work in England that it is difficult
to imagine the British Women’s Tem
perance Association without her. Her
resignation, which is attributed to the
refusal of the association to be governed
by her wishes in regard to the removal
of the contagious diseases act in India,
was most unexpected, it is hoped that
that the resignation will be withdrawn.
1 Uni versalist Thought
• OUR OWN WRITERS.
The Sovereignty of Love.
It is held by ue that the only sover
eignty that is worthy of the name is one
that commands the obedience of all its
subjects, and that glory consists not in.
banishing rebellion to a remote corner
of the kingdom, but in converting it into
loyalty and service. It would not take
much of a God to shut sin up and pun
ish it forever. What we want to believe
in is one who can eradicate the disease
and bring into perfect health. Endless
punishment or immediate annihilation
can hardly manifest the power of God.
Anybody can kill. What we seek is one
who can cure. We think of man's part
and Christ’s part in human redemption
and almost forget God's part. The
Eternal Righteousness and Power is
pledged to the triumph of holinese. It
is only by the salvation of mankind into
that holiness that God saves his own
throne or perfects it.—Rev. Carl F.
Henry.
Time and Destiny,
The great lens of the Yerkee telescope
required about ten years in making,
that is it required a whole decade to
Belect the materials, cast the great block
of glass, subject it to the various tests
required, and to reduce it, shape, grind
and polish to the proper proportions ,
and no one will ever know how long God
was in making the sands out of which
the glass was made. Think you that a
human soul can be made for heavenly
happiness in a shorter time? Yet there
are people who believe thatif a man will
repent of his sins at the last moment he
may enter heaveD, pure, like the angels
of God. Some of us have ventured to
protest againBt this. We believe that it
will take a long, long time for a human
soul to reach the deBtiny awaiting all
in the providence of God.—Rev. F. F.
Buckner.
Religion and Politics.
The more we preach religion of the
highest type into politics, the purer and
wiser politics will become; the more we
take into our pulpits subjects and ques
tions that bear upon the public life of
our cities, stateB and nation and discuss
them carefully, honestly, fairly, with the
simple purpose of finding the truth
and the holy desire of having it lived up
to, the more the church will appeal to
earnest souls and do its share in lifting
up the race. Therefore, I am glad to
find the people in the pews saying to
their pastors: "Deal with the questions
of the day. Discuss the issues that
make for civic righteousness. Point
your finger boldly at the men who are
corrupt. Denounce in unmeasured
terms whatever deserves such strong
denunciation. Hold up, with unfeigned
enthusiasm, whatever merits admiration
and praise. Let your motive be a disin.
terested love of the truth and a disinter
ested desire to serve the people and we
will respect your conviction, even when
we cannot agree with you and follow
your leading when it is our belief that
you are on the right track.—Rev. Henry
R. Rose.
Compensation.
At a recent union meeting one of the
speakers touched upon the Bubject of
compensation. His thought was that
when we are asking so much from God
and receiving so much, we Bhould be
anxious to give something in return. I
wonder if we do not often forget that
part of living under God’s blessings. In
our prayers we ask for many things and
it is right that we should, but does our
gratitude prompt us to do anything for
such. We receive the very breath of
life and everything else from a loving
creator but do we show ourselves will
ing to repay him for it all?
When our earthly friends give us a
good gift we are grateful for it, and
every true heart will try to do something
for those friends in return. How many
have been the gifts which the good
Father has bestowed upon us. And
how grateful we ought to be to him.
We can show our thankfulness by a life
of activity in his service. We can show
how much we are indebted to him by
helping our neighbors, who are mem
bers of his great family. As we have
received so let us give. The tree is
worthful when it bears its fruit.—Rev.
F. F. Buckner,
The Faith in God.
He ie a singularly thoughtless person
who in planning his life has not settled
certain great convictions in his mind,
and he is certainly a very unfortunate
person who does not find among those
convictions this one, that a wrong ul
timately defeats itself, and that the
right thing is the all-conquering thing,
and that the right path is the path
that is eternally open.
To my mind this is practical faith in
God, the faith that all noble and help
ful things, all benevolent things, all the
noblest sentiments partake of the inti
ni te and the immortal, while all the re
verse of these are destined to failure
and defeat; faith that this great spirit
works for ultimate harmony and the
absolute triumph of good, through all
time and through all worlds. And the
following of Christ is in the same spirit.
If a person have the heart to do one di
vine thing he will find it easy enough to
do another. These divine avenues are
all in the celestial fields and they have
connecting pathe. The high virtues
constitute a community. — Rev. Dr.
Rexford.