The Universalist. [volume], September 04, 1897, Image 1

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VOL. XIV.°ra,yoi.Vx"TS'S881,! CHICAGO AND CINCINNATI, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER4, 1897. {’■NKHSHT-I NO. 36
The Universzilist
a RELIGIOUS AND caM:LY WEEKLY
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CHICAGO. SATURDAY, SEPT. 4. 1897.
Page One.
Editorial Briefs.
Life and Work of Trained Nnrses. .
The Creed Qnestion.
Old Cincinnati Days.
Universalist Thought.
Page Two.
Christian Brotherhood.
The New Testament and the Higher Criti
cism.
Those "Three Factors of Human History."
Woman’s Influence in Modern Journalism.
Page Tnree.
The Sunday School Lesson.
Page Four.
Editorial:
Building the Spiritual Temple.
“Chicago. ’!)7.”
Loin hard University.
Murray Sunday.
Beautifnl Mem iries of a Beautiful Life.
UniVersallst Personal.
Views of the Editor*.
Page Five,
Church News and Correspondence.
Page Six.
The Family Page. Farm. Garden and Dairy.
Page Seven.
Our Boys and Girls.
Page Eight*
News of the Week.
Church Notices and in Memorlaai.
EDITORIAL BRIEFS.
BY PRESIDENT I. M. ATWOOD, D. D.
Thk Fourth Gospel and the Quarlo
deciman* is the topic of an exhaustive
study by James Drummond, Principal
of Manchester College, Oxford. Read
ers of Dr. Martineau’s “Seat of Author
ity in Religion"' will recall the weight
given by him to the discrepancy in the
dates of the observance of the passover
in the synoptics and in John, in decid
ing against the genuineness of the
Fourth Gospel. It has been pointed
out often that the argument from this
fact has been much overworked. But
Dr. Drummond goes into the subject at
length, examines the historic and docu
mentary data minutely, and concludes
tbu6: “I am forced, therefore, to the con
clusion that this celebrated argument
against the Johannine authorship of our
Gospel rests on misconception, and, so
far from being decisive of the question,
does not possess the slightest validity.”
Few candid and competent readers of
his paper will differ with him.
—When a church iB to be built or a
church debt is to be paid it often seems
to those of small means, struggling
under the weight of the heavy responsi
bility, as if some wealthy person or par
ish should come to the rescue and lift
the load, They could do it so easily!
But the nearly unvaring rule is that so
tersely expressed by the apostle: “For
every one must bear his own burden.”
The rich person or the rich parish turn a
deaf ear to the appeal of the poor church.
And no doubt it is better so. To plan
^ and strive and sacrifice iB, we sometimes
believe, the better part of the business.
It develops capacity, it strengthens
fellowship, it cultivates courage, it en
dears the great and beneficent institu
tion which is worth more to us than all
our gifts. More than half the joy we
have in the product results from the
feeling of having brought it to pass by
our own efforts. Faith in the cause and
love for it make poor people rich and
weak people strong. And that is just
what is wanted,—that the poor become
rich and the weak strong.
—There ie truth certainly in the idea
of a Day of Judgment. The things done
are just what they are whether known
or not; the secrets of ail hearts are not
changed by being revealed. But the
catastrophe of disclosure seems to be
an essential Btep in the process of re
form. The ice may be known to be
perilously thin, but so long as it holds,
the transgressor continues to venture
upon it. The breaking is required, not
to intensify the guilt but to make it
apparent. To make a play-thing of pas
sion, to toy with temptation, to seek
the by-ways and sluices of sin rather
than the open way, of righteousness, is
that wherein the wickedness consists:
not in the discovery. Yet the discovery
is needful, and it ie, likewise, inevitable.
I We lift up our voices in lamentation
when the mask falls and the disguise
ends. We should weep—nay, we should
reprove and rebuke and restrain, when
the evil way ie entered upon. We follow
with our vain pity the uncovered
wretch. We should have pursued him
with our availing love long before, while
yet the cloak of reepectability concealed
hie rage.
—Of the three or four subjects that
created greatest interest at the late
meeting of the American Educational
Association in Milwaukee, "College
Entrance Requirements” evoked most
animated discussion. A committee had
been appointed to investigate the ques
tion and their report formulated what
may be called the Western idea—that a
young man or woman who has passed a
given time in the successful presenta
tion of the Btudies of a secondary school,
should be admitted to any college with
out the ordeal of a traditional entrance
examination. No matter what has been
studied, so long as it has produced the
requisite intellectual development,' it
should be accepted. This is somewhat
revolutionary; but it is reasonable. The
ridicule poured on entrance examina
tion in the discussion as a device for
driving young men and women Bway
from the opportunities of deeper re
search and higher culture, is not wholly
unmerited. Entrance examinations,
when necessary, should be used to find
out what a student knows and where to
place him, rather than as a barrier to
admission.
—It is a somewhat noticeable coinci
dence that Prof. John Hardy Ropes of
Harvard, an authority on the subject of
the agrapha, or the sayings of Jesus not
recorded in the gospels, should have
published a paper on the character and
value of these sayings in the American
Journal of Theology, simultaneously
with the appearance of the leaf of new
sayings discovered in Egypt by Grenfell
and Hunt. Whether the new sayings
will cause Mr. Ropes to revive the judg
ment with which he concludes an ex
amination and companion of the agrapha
hitherto known, is an interesting ques
tion. Mr. Ropes is impressed with two
facts in relation to them. (1 ) That but
trifling intrinsic interest attaches to
them. (2) That there are so few of
them. The evangelists seem to have
gathered nearly all the treasures pre
served by contemporaries from the lips
of him who spake as never man spake.
They "did their work so well that only
stray bits here and there, and these of
little value, were left to the gleanerp.”
If it be true, as conjectured by Prof.
Bacon, that many of the words of Jesus
are embedded in the New Testament
epistles it would not alter this judg
ment.
—Ex-Gov. Flower gives as many and
as forcible reasons for thinking non
partisan municipal administration im
practicable, as any one has ever put
into formal expression. He speaks from
conviction evidently. The sum of it is,
that the number of persons who could
be brought to unite in the support of
non-partisan government, is, "under ex
isting conditions,” too small to be rep
resentative of the public; that the ele
ments will be discordant; that the com
promises and promises they will have to
make to get support involve the worst
features of partisanship; and that hu
man experience is against the plan.
There is great force in this view it must
be conceded. Yet the evils of partisan
municipal rule can never be cured by
larger and longer doses of the same
drug. Something must be done; and
the only alternative is non partisan
municipal administration. The number
of persons who believe in it is greater
than Gov. Flower supposes,—as witness
the signers to the call for the candidacy
of Seth Low in New York at this mo
ment.
—In a recent Independent Dr. Sereno
E. Bishop of Honolulu gives utterance
to what we may take to be the view of
the American element in the population
as to the annexation of Hawaii to the
United States. He represents the
measure as demanded by every con
sideration of interest and sound policy,
as well for the native Hawaiians as for
the (le facto government. His statement,
of the case amounts to aery of distress. In
the August Forum Senator Stephen M
White of California discusses the ques
t on from the point of view of history
and equity. He shows that the present
government is a clear instance of usur
pation, that on the question of annexa
tion the native population have not been
consulted and are not to be consulted,'
and that however advantageous it may
bo for Hawaii the possession of that
distant island will be the beginning of
troubles for the United States. Anyone
inclined to listen to Dr. Bishop's appeal
should also hear Senator White’s plea
for justice and prudence.
—Some subtractions must always be
made from the sums reported as “raised”
from a popular assembly by the method
of appeal. The higher the excitement
runs the larger the per cent of shrink
age. Is it not surprising to learn, that
of the §101.000 pledged last year for mis
sions, at the camp meeting of the Chris
tian Alliance, not one half has yet be
come available Most of it is believed
to be “good;” but pledges which could
be collected would be better. Some
times this is the only method of raising
money that is at the moment practicable;
and vast sums have been secured and
untold good accomplished by this short
and exhilarating process. Vet the
healthier and more equitable and ra
tional way of getting the money to carry
forward the work of the church is by
regular stated contributions—by habi
tual, systematic giving.
Canton Thkological school.
OUR CONTRIBUTORS.
LIFE AND WORK OF TRAINED
NURSES.
BY MISS LILLIAN D. WALD.
Head of the Nurse's Settlement, Henry Street.
New York.
III.—IHstilct Nursing.
Something like forty years ago (1859)
an English Philanthropist sent a woman
to work among the sick poor of Liver
pool in their own homes. Four years
later the same gentleman had divided
the city into eighteen districts, assign
ing a nurse to each. This seems to have
been the origin of what is now known as
"District Nursing,” an elastic term,
which to day includes many methods of
utilizing among the straitened and the
very poor the nursing skill and educa
tive possibilities of hospital graduates.
It is a work which has appealed to all,
from many standpoints, until now a
number of cities have forces of trained
nurses, some scattered, others well or
ganized, but all doing district nursing
in the crowded quarters of the poor or
in the outlaying separated homes of
great cities.
The methods of reaching this class of
patients and the minute details of the
work must vary according to the special
conditions and needs of the neighbor
hood in which the nurse is at work
Probably no two are identical, particu
larly in our more cosmopolitan cities,
but generally speaking, a district nurse
gives the day to her various charges, di
viding the hours according to the num
ber and needs of her patients, not living
in the house with any one of them, as
does the private nurse, but going from
one to another. Thus she economizes
her steps and each day regulates her
work so that the patients most ill or
least cared for by their companions
shall have the greater share of her time
and skill. Going from one to another
she will perform many and varied ser
vices, not alwayB nursing in the narrow
est sense of the word, but everything
done for the comfort and well being of
the sick one or the family is naturally
of such practical character that none
can measure the almost unlimited possi
bilities of this true missionary to the
people.
She must be alert and deft in many
kinds of service, quick to detect and
ready to act, for in this work the doctor
is remote and often never seen, the re
sources few, and the patient’s life may
depend on the nurse's ability to meet
emergencies and avert the consequences
of ignorant mistakes. She may have
to clean the room or stop a hemorrhage;
teach a child bow to sweep without rais
ing a dust, or instruct a mother how to
care for the tracheotomy tube; she may
improvise appliances or give a cooking
lesBon.
She will generally be obliged to teach,
often to enforce, laws of hygiene and
cleanliness, which are household words
even among children of the better edu
cated. She must be tactful enough to
give her lessons despite the forbidding
barriers of ignorance and prejudice, and
yet win respect and love, and a welcome
to the homeB of her district. She may
find the beet a nurse can do is not suffi
cient, and that the patient’s condition
and circumstances require hospital
treatment. In this event, her difficul
ties will probably be augmented by his
aversion to the transfer, until persua
sion and arguments influence him to
accept what alone can save him. Often,
however, what is really a "hospital case”
will be cared for at the poor home, that
removal of the patient ;the mother, per
haps) may not break up the family. In
such a case, the most intelligent member
of the family, or a friend, must be en
listed in service and put in charge until
the next visit of the nurse.
The “loan closet, without which no
district nurse can work, should be with
in easy reach. In it she keeps atomizers,
bed-pans, blankets, head rest, nigh
gowns, sheets (cotton and rubber), ster
ilizers, syringes, toys, picture books, etc.,
in a word, all such appliances as will
conduce to the comfort and cleanliness
of patients whose resources are too lim
ited to procure them. These things
may be given outright, but are generally
loaned, a record of the loan kept in the
closet acd cancelled when the articles
are returned to it. From the closet the
nurse tills her bag, empties, replenishes,
again and again. In the bsg she carries
with her, she will have the antiseptic
solutions, bandages, instrument case,
syringes, thermometer, etc., and will add
to these things such things as she has
found wanting and which the people can
not supply. Though she is careful not to
be considered an almoner, she will often
find it necessary to carry beef extract,
eggs, jellies, milk tickets, and various
tempting dishes, and as often brings in
other agencies to correct or help.
In cities already districted by dispen
saries, the nurse often works only with
the visiting physician of her district.
Beginning her rounds in the early morn
ing, she will meet him at a stated hour
to report on the cases visited that morn
ing and the previous afternoon, receive
orders and instructions for them or the
new cases he desires her to see, replen
ish her bag with the needed supplies,
and re commence her rounds. In the
“Nurses’ Settlement,” the requests for
the nurse's visits come from various
churches, dispensaries, doctors, hospi.
tale, organized societies and schools,
and largely from the people of the tens
ments In the latter case it is her fur
ther duty often to direct to the physi
cian, hospital or dispensary that seems
best suited to the particular ailment of
the individual. Having a large acquaint
ance with the medical resources of the
city, and being influenced by nothing
but the desire to bring the best possible
service to the patient, she is the connect
ing link between the two,
A nurse ordinarily starts on her
rounds at eight a. m. Her first visit
will be made to the patient about whom
she has been ' most disturbed. If a
fever patient, she will take his tempera
ture, give a bath, make the bed, pre
pare the food that he may eat, instruct
ing cotpe one in the family in everything
she does, explaining why each is done
thus and so, and impressing anew with
what dare not be given, or the accidents
to be guarded against. Writing out the
time and amount of medicines due until
return, she goes to the next—a child ill
with pneumonia—takes her tempera
ture, respiration and pulse, gives a bath
or makes a "pneumonia jacket,” tempts
the little one to drink the milk she has
probably refused from the others, and
bears in mind that she is to bring a
picture-book in her bag for her next
time. Then, on to the old dame with
the “bad legs" that need careful band
aging, or the ulcers that have become
chronic, and will need daily dressing for
an indefinite period, and so on through
out the day, down into the darkest base
ments, up to the top floors of the tallest
tenements, into alleys and rear houses,
touching in frendliness and sympathy
the poor, the unfortunate, sometimes
the sinning, the victims of unjust social
conditions.
Just aB much as this nurse and friend
can bring into their lives and homes by
her knowledge, refinement and social
tact, just that much can she hope to in
fluence. Her privileges do not end with
the leg bandaged, the bath given, the
lessons taught; she has a close view of
condition?, perhaps causes, and though
she may not be able to cure or even
mitigate these, she can bring the report
to the student of sociology as well as to
her dispensary physician, and thus
again be the link between the classes.
Thus the district nurse will And un
ending opportunities for definite help,
physical, mental, moral and social, and
if she start with such qualities as will
give her perception of her opportunities
and intelligence to moot them, she is
well pre-«red rs' .oelU-Ls not
wholly to be developed in a hospital
training; but in the wards of the large
acute hospitals, contact with and service
for the oft-changing patients bring edu
cation in many things besides technical
nursing. Thus, in making choice of a
school for training in this work, those
connected with the large hospitals of
the great cities are preferable. Every
so-called specialist will deBire the best
material for his particular work, but ex
perienced educators of nurses, both here
and abroad, concur in the opinion that
while careful training will fit almost any
nurse for “private duty,” and while
under almost military supervision, the
ward-work can hardly go wrong, the dis
trict nurse must have such special quali
fications as I have referred to. Flor
ence Nightingale, though at first a little
slow to see the ground that could be
covered, became generouB in her praise
of what had already been, and enthusi
astic of what could be, accomplished,
but added: "She must be more accom
plished and responsible than a nurse in
the hospital.”
These authorities further agree that
the nurse’s Gospel should be: .Order,
Health, Cleanliness, Friendliness; for
unless she is understood to be working
with and for the parish of a church, her
work should be absolutely unsectarian,
that she may not be looked on as a
proselytizar, and her services be depre
ciated as being a cover for another pur
pose.
New Yoke City.
THE LOVE OF OOD.
BY SAXE HOLM.
Like a cradle, rocking, rocking,
Silent, peaceful, to and fro;
Like a mother's sweet looks, dropping
On the little face below,
Hangs the green earth, swinging, turning
Jarless, noiseless, safe and slow ;
Falls the light of God’s face, bending
Down and watching us below.
And as feeble babes that suffer,
Toss and cry, and will not rest,
Are the ones the tender mother
Holds the closest, loves the best;
So, when we are weak and wretched,
By our sins weighed down, distressed.
Then it is that God s great patience
Holds us closest, loves us best.
Oh, great heart of God! whose loving
Cannot hindered be nor crossed,
Will not weary, will not even
In our death itself be lost—
ove divine! of such great loving
Only mothers know the cost—
Cost of love, which, all love passing,
Gave a Sou to save the lost!
—Id an article in the Paris Figaro on
"Alcoholism and Madmen," it is shown
that at the beginning of this century
comparatively little liquor was drunk in
Fiance. It shows that since 1800, when
the practice of distillirg brandy from
corn, potatoes, etc., began in that coun
try, the number of insane people has in
creased with the consumption of liquor.
In the four years 1826-30 there were
1,739 cases of eelf-destruction, while
from 1876 to 1880 there were 6,259.
THE CREED QUESTION.
•‘MANY MEN OF MANY MINDS.”
[Under this caption wo will publish
from time to time articles on the proposed
change in our creed. The General Con
vention of 1895, in session at Meriden,
Conn., proposed the following as a substi
tute for the Winchester Profession, and
it awaits final action of acceptance or re
jection at the Chicago session of 1897. ]
The Proposed Creed.
1. We believe in the Universal Father
hood of God and in the Universal Broth
erhood of Man.
2. We believe that God, who hath spok
en through all His holy prophets since the
world began, hath spoken unto us by His
Son, Jesus Christ, our Example and Sav
iour.
8. We believe that salvation consists in
spiritual oneness with God, who, through
Christ, will finally gather in one the
whole family of mankind.
VALUABLE TIME SQUANDERED.
To one who hears the discussion in
our conventions, and reads the com
ments on the proposed change of our
creed, and is also familiar with the
creed, its history and its meaning, it
seems to be valuable time squandered
that is spent in a controversy over
any change. Creeds are not what
the world needs. There never was a
soul saved by any creed.
We may spend much time in mak
ing a perfect creed, and plate it with
silver or gold and stud it with dia
monds, yet not one soul will be one
whit better for it. Jesus said: “Fol
low me.” We are not following the
Divine Master when we while away
our time “a-tinkering” our creed.
When a Christian church has noth
ing else to do, let it busy itself by
making and repairing creeds, but as
long as the world needs the most
earnest, consecrated and devoted
work out door today, as long as there
is a “hell on earth,” just so long are
we “sinning away the day of grace” by
trying to arrange our creed so that it
will suit every Universalist. Our
old creed is good enough for a creed;
let it stand. Its history and its mean
ing should be its protection. The
work of a Christian is not so much to
find out what he believes as it is “to
follow Him” and “feed his lambs.”
Jno. K. Carpenter.
Bock land. O.
EVOLUTION OE THE CKEE1).
Much has been written of late con
cerning the revision of our Confession
of Faith. This is well in view of the
fact that the General Convention is to
take action on this matter this fall in
Chicago. Full and free discussion may
pave the way to wiBe and, we trust, final
action, at least for the present.
It strikes us that the principle of evo
lution should be observed in whatever
changes may be made, observed, we
mean, not only in tbe substance but in
the form of the creed. That it will be
observed in tbe substance there is no
doubt. Anything like a radical change
in the doctrines set forth is not to be
thought of, and will not be attempted.
But any such change ought not to be
attempted in tbe form. It would be
very unwise, we imagine, to attempt
any such thing as a complete new form
of words. Our people are familiar with
this form. They are attached to it*
They have been taught it in our Sun
day-schools, and they know it as our
Confession of Faith. Many of them
can repeat it word for word; many of
them do so repeat it, as an expression
of their own individual faith. The
words to them are sacred, and anything
like a radical change would be a rude
and unnecessary shock to their feelings.
It would seem to them like cutting up
their faith by the roots. The new creed
would be to them a new faith. Tbe
doctrine has become identified with the
works, the substance with the form. To
change the latter therefore would be to
change the former, to give a new faith
with the new creed.
It may be eaiu that this is all senti
meut, that these feelings are irrational
and unworthy of respect. But he who,
in church-building does not respect
them will prove himself anything but a
wise master builder. He is cutting the
very cords that bind a denomination to
gether. These sentiments are the de
nominational cement that maintains the
oneDees of the church. Without them
the building would fall into fragments.
Not revolution, then, but evolution
should be the aim of our creed reform
ers. Let the new creed be evolved from
the old, not made “out of whole cloth.”
Let there be an improvement of the
wording, it need be, but no absolutely
new form. Let nothing be done that
seems like cutting off the past and
starting anew. Continuity should be
maintained in the very form of our con
fession. If there is any doctrine taught
in the creed that we do not believe, let
that be changed, but nothing more.
The truth is that the doctrines which
the fathers intended to express in our
creed are believed by our people now
just as much as they ever were. They
are the fundamental doctrines of our
church, and essential to our existence as
a Chris ian Universalist church. The
words chosen to express these doctrines
may not be the beet in all cases. If so,
let better words be found, but leave the
body of the Confession untouched.
For instance, in the first article let
“destiny” take the place of “destina
tion”; in the second, write educate in
place of “restore,” and in the third,
strike out “to be careful” altogether,
and read, "ought to maintain order,”
etc. These are all the chargee that
seem to us needful to bring the form of
the creed “up to date.” If the Conven
tion could see its way to make them and
then let the creed alone for a generation
or two it would in our judgment, mani
fest that "wisdom which is from above.
—Rev. S. Crane, in the Leader.
OLD CINCINNATI DAYS
BY HENRY A. MANNING.
The appearance in The Universal
ist of the first page of the initial
number of the Star in the West, has
led me to recall some pleasant mem
ories of the days when 1 first made
the Star’s acquaintance.
It was in the spring of 1866 when I
entered upon business life in Cincin
nati, and found my way to the old
Plum Street church. The Star office
was the rendezvous for the visiting
brethren, and being a frequent visitor
there myself, I made the acquaint
ance of a good many of our ministers
from near-by parishes, whose people
I met on many occasions during the
next ten years, in the good associa
tion meetings and profitable State
Conventions of that period.
My thought, however, goes chiefly
to that modest but delightful home
of the Star’s editor,—“Ingleside,”
overlooking from its height the beau
tiful valley of la belle reviere, six miles
below the Queen City, where the wel
come was greater than a new comer
could expect, and the hospitality to
ward all guests seemed larger than
the house.
Such an experience through a term
of years is indeed a green spot in the
memory of one who came as a stranger
to thecity, and there are many friends
there who still recall these delightful
times “In the days of Auld Lang
Syne.”
And if this is not getting too per
sonal, Mr. Editor, may I acknowledge
that it was there I was first impressed
with the nature of true hospitality?
I saw that there was a time to enter
tain and a time to let guests alone—
to neglect them as it were—to let
them roam about at will over the
terraced grounds, or perchance up
into the overflowing library, which,
at Ingleside, was a sort of liber-eyrie
up in the front gable. I mention
this feature of hospitality because we
all know those who, in the utmost
kindness, are over-solicitous for the
welfare of guests, and are sometimes
said to “visit them to death.”
I want to mention next what was
really first in my mind when I sat
down to write, the many visits I made
by the invalid chair or at the bed
side of the senior editor and pub
lisher of “The Star,” and of the gra
cious presence and cheerfulness of
that saintly woman who so blessed
his life, up to its ending here in that
transition which we call death.
Never wras a more just or loyal
tribute paid to a wife than that
touching dedication of his great work,
“Rudiments of Theological and
Moral Science”—the rare product of
logical, terse and cogent reasoning
—a noble work, worthy of generous
dedication—a noble woman worthy
such a testimonial.
I take this book off its shelf now, to
read again this dedication, and will
you not allow me to transcribe it
here, in memory of both Dr. and
Mrs. Williamson?
To My Wife.
who for forty and two years, has,
by her hopeful and cheerful spirit,
strengthened me in every weak
ness, helped me in every difficulty,
comforted me in every sorrow,
cheered me in every moment of des
pondency, and made home the
dearest place in all the world,
this volume is
Affectionately Dedicated.
I never knew Dr. Williamson in
the years of health and strength in
dicated by his Btalwart form, but I
was glad to meet him in those clos
ing years of his life here; and even
in the suffering of those weary days
I thought I could always see the ex
pression of welcome in his brighten
ing eyes and kindly Bmile, when I
would enter his room.
Somehow another book comes into
my mind now, in connection with
these reflections, perhaps because
written by Key. A. D. Mayo, then
pastor of the Unitarian church in
Cincinnati, but quite as much be
cause I have recalled, during the in
tervening years, the significance of
its title, while I have forgotten most
of its contents.
“Graces aud Powers of the Chris
tian Life,” is the title of the book,
and the thought has been growing
upon me that while we see many of
the graces of Christian life in the
modern church, in what denomina
tion shall we find now a shewing forth
of the power of the primitive Chris
tian church?
The fathers of the Universalist
church were giants in their day, ris
ing to the opportunity of that time.
Who are their successors that will
show equal adaptation to the oppor
tunities of today,[with the greatly
changed conditions and new problems
of our time?
What branch of the church uni
versal in the coming years will best
express and exemplify and demon
strate the “Graces and Powers of the
Christian^Life?”
Chicago, August 22nd.1
j#999999999%
g Universalis! Thought
OUB OWN WRITERS. Jgh
Wide Field of Action
Each generation is the custodian of
the moral and religious welfare of its
successor. The field of action is es
pecially wide, from the standpoint of
our beloved faitb, which teaches Uni
versal Fatherhood of God and conse
quent Universal Brotherhood of Man.—
Charles S. Davis
How to Work
How are we going to work? Have
willingness, earnestness and skill in
individual Christian work and there
will come ways enough. We must do
away with our pride and spiritual indo
lence. We must give up selfishness.
We must not be afraid to speak in the
n ame of our Christ. We must let people
know that we are not ashamed to try
to do right. When asked to indulge in
some vice, refuse. Avoid anger and
dissension, for we know that this causes
a great deal of trouble and does much
more hurt than we can do good in a
long time. Work together in the spirit
of harmony and peace. Always lend a
helpir g hand. If we can do kind deeds
to one who is trying to injure us, we
shall eome day see the reward. It is
heaping coals of fire on bis head and
his heart will wax warm and then he
will see the error of his ways. We can
assist the feeble. Read to those who
are not able to do so on account of
physical infirmities. Do whatever little
deeds we can find to do that will help
any one or cur own dear church — Rev
Joseph F. Cobb.
The Village Church.
The village church ought to be, and
is at its best, a hive of industries, an in
stitution in the attitude, with the pur
pose and doing the deed of the Master,
stretching out his hand to the sinking
Peters of the community, a gatherer,
unifier, administrator of the mites of
its members so that nothing be lost, but
every fragment made useful. From it
and its services and teachings what may
be called an inspiring influence to great
and good things should ray out to the
result that men and women shall go
f rom its occasions of worship to plan
and to do for the help of the needy, the
poor in morals, spirituals as well as in
materials. A church fulfilling its law is
a light put on a lamp stand that all may
see; a city set on a hill to invite all, to
guide all to its gates; salt with power
to prevent putrefaction and foulnees,
and preserve and to give pungency to
the true, right and good in all their
formB. Not the lees because of these,
but rather the more should it be the
purpose of a church to make men and
things better in a village, to attract men
to higher levels of thinking and doing.
—Rev. E. A. Perry.
A Great Theological Teacher.
Ebenezer Fisher, "on whom the Fall
of Man made no impression,’’ founded
the Canton School on the theory that
we need a ministry saturated with
Christian Universalism—he usually pre
fixed the adjective. In whatever else
our ministers might come short, in this
particular one there would be no failure,
no serious lack, if he could prevent it.
Of course he could not always prevent it.
It is often impossible to determine in
a dvance what he who is now twenty will
be when he is twenty-five. The most
ungainly youth may turn out the most
symmetrical of men. The dullard of
fifteen has often shown marvelous ca
pabilities at twenty-five. Dr. Fisher
made the personal miscalculation, inci*
dent to fallible intelligence, as do the
Probability men of the Bureau. He
was at times proud of the minister in
regard to whom he was anxious when a
student; he was at times bitterly dis
appointed in the minister who when a
student seemed to him a well of prom
ise. But he never distrusted his theory
tout the end of his mission was to make
Univerealist ministers who were also
Christians and Christian ministers who
were also UniversaJiets, and that as re
lated thereto, intellectual attainments
and literary discipline, however preci
ous, however needful, were secondary.
The minister who knows Plato and
Bacon and Shakeepeare and Darwin
and Matthew Arnold and also in these
days—bo wever it might have been in the
Ephesus of the Apostlee—is yet to learn
whether "there is a Holy Ghost,’’ may
indeed take the vows of a minister and
wear the title, but he ie an otTenee to
the Almighty.—Her. Dr. Emerson.