The Universalist. [volume], September 25, 1897, Page 2, Image 2

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

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DO WE NEED A NEW CREED?
BY RICHARD EDDY, D. I).
Read at the New England Conference of the General Convention,
October, 1895.
‘‘''T'IHE Winchester Profession of
JL Faith,” adopted by the “New
England Convention of Universal
ists,” in 1803, received, so far as I am
aware, no adverse criticism in any
ubsequent session of that body, nor
of the “General Convention” into
which it grew, until that held in 187/,
when a motion was made to amend
Article II. by substituting for the
word “restore,” the word “bring.
This was referred to a committee
which, at a later hour in the
same session reported favorably, and
the report was referred to the
session in 1878, at which time the mo
tion was negatived. In 1879 the same
motion was renewed, whereupon an
amendment was proposed to substi
tute the word “lead,” for the word
“bring.” The whole matter was then
laid on the table, but was subse
quently taken therefrom and referred
to the Board of Trustees to report
the next year. Iu 1880 the Trustees
reported that a majority of the Board
recommended a recast of Art. II. eo
that it may read: “We believe that
there is one God. whose nature is
love, revealed by one Holy Spirit of
Grace in one Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom the whole family of
mankind will finally attain holiness
and happiness. The motion to
adopt was indefinitely postponed. In
1881 this amendment was offered:
“Who will finally save the whole fam
ily of mankind.” This and the whole
Profession was referred to a commit
tee of nine, to report next year. In
1882 the committee reported that five
propositions for amendment or re
statement of the creed had been be
fore them, and asked further time for
consideration, which was granted,
and the committee continued for an
other year. In 1883 they reported “no
general revision of the creed called
for,” but recommended that Art.
II. be amended by substituting for
the present reading, the words: “Who
will finally save the whole family of
mankind in holiness and happiness.”
The report was recommitted. In
1884 the committee reported the fol
lowingamendment: “Who will finally
save the whole family of mankind.”
To this an amendment was offered,
to “Strike out all after the word
‘grace,’ and insert, ‘through whom the
whole family of mankind will finally
attain holiness and happiness.”'
This was rejected, and then the mo
tion to adopt the committee’s recom
mendation was negatived. In 1885 a
committee of three was appointed to
consider the question of amending
the Profession of Faith, and report
at the next annual session such
changes as may seem to them advis
able. In 1886 the committee asked
further time, which was granted. In
1887 the committee reported an en
tirely new1 creed, consisting of four
articles, which, after discussion, was
referred to the next session. In 1888
the creed reported the year before
was referred to a committee of five.
In 1889 the committee reported a
creed of five articles. This was dis
cussed and referred back to the com
mittee, who, later in the session re
ported a creed of three articles.
This was referred to the next session
and the committee was continued,
with power to revise the same. At
the next session, the biennial of 1891,
no report was received. In 1893 the
committee reported another creed of
three articles, which was referred to
the next session. At the same session
a creed of two articles was proposed,
which was also referred to the next
session. At the session of 1895 no
action was taken on the last named
creed, but the one recommended by
the committee was amended, ap
proved, and goes to the session of
1897 for final action.
This, in brief, is the history of the
attempt at amending the Winchester
Profession of faith, begun and con
tinued through ten years, solely for
the purpose of changing the second
article; but, for the last nine years,
an attempt to substitute something
for its entirety, and culminating in
passing through the first stage to
success a wholly new creed,now most
warmly opposed by some who voted
for its adoption.
1 am here to endeavor to show that
we need no new* creed: no change in
the old one. Somewhat familiar
with the reasons for a change which
have been offered during the last
nine years, I feel that they are not
sufficiently well founded to justify
us in taking up any further time and
in leaving more important matters
unattended to, in our convention ses
sions.
Briefly,of course,since lam limited
in time, I notice the objections which
are put forth against the Winchester
Profession. I begin with that which
was earliest offered and has been
continually and persistently urged
during the entire controversy. It is
objected that the expression in Art.
II. that God “will finally restore the
whole family of mankind to holiness
and happiness,” cannot be true, ‘‘the
whole family of mankiud” never had
“holiness” to fall from. It is said
that “the first act of disobedience is
a fall from innocence, ami every sub
sequent act of sinning is a falliug yet
further therefrom.” Let the truth
of this statement concerning our
“first act of disobedience,” be con
ceded; but does it follow that all sub
sequent sinning is no more than a
“fall from innocence?” Our experi
ence and consciousness will not let
us flatter ourselves in that way. Fall
ing from innocence, a great variety
of influences and motives, some sug
gested and urged by those who seek
our good, some presented by ourown
conscience, impel ub to strive to
amend our lives, lead us to attain to
h diuess, not to absolute holiness, for
that pertains to God alone, but to
some measure of spiritual purity,
conformity in purpose and character
to the moral law, desiring and in
tending to sin no more; but allured,
tempted, we fall away. It is my ex
perience, is it not yours, that we fall
from holiness? Is our experience
unique? or rather is it not, so far as
we know,common to our race? Ihere
is, then, a lapse from holiness and to
holiness we need to be restored.
Will it be said that this cannot be af
firmed of “the whole family of man
kind,” since holiness never was in any
degree attained by all? It is sufficient
to say that any rational theory of hu
man nature and of the saving work
of God through Christ on “the whole
family of mankind,” must of neces
sity exempt infants, whose innocence
has never been tarnished, and imbe
ciles who cannot choosa either good
or evil, from being in any sense sin
ners and to be saved from sin; and
that no man, unless he is a believer
in total depravity and “lives up to his
belief,” dare affirm that any human
beings who come to years of m iral
accountability and are of sound mind,
have not sought after, and for some
period, however brief, attained to
some degree of holiness, to which, as
the foundation of human perfection
and of acceptance with God, they do
not need to be restored.
The objection in some quarters to
Art. II, that in its declaration that
God “will finally restore,” it teaches
“Calvinistic or fiat restoration,” is
quite as strong againBt the substi
tutes for it which have from time to
time been brought forward in the
General Convention, such as who
will “bring,” “lead,” “save,” “gather
in,” “through whom the whole family
of mankind will finally attain,” etc.
If the advocates of these substitutes
have no disposition to find in them
“Calvinistic or fiat salvation,” if they
see in them no antagonism to belief
in the exercise of the freedom of the
human will in co operation with the
Divine will, just as little difficulty
can they reasonably have in accept
ing, so far as the declaration respect
ing the will of God is concerned,
the language of the present Profes
sion of Faith. It certainly is now, as
it has been from the beginning, a
fundamental doctrine of Universal
ism, that indeed, in which it differs
from all other doctrines of God’s
will concerning man’s destiny, that
His will is a fixed purpose that can
not be defeated, but must finally be
accomplished. Less than this is not
Universalism. But man's part in
freely putting himself in harmony
with what God requires in order to
his deliverance from sin, is not ex
cluded nor antagonized by what our
Profe-sion of Faith declares concern
ing the positive accomplishment of
God’s will.
Objection is further made to Article
II. that such is its peculiar construc
tion that it teaches that, not God is
the restorer, but the “who.” In view
of the fact that all our learned men
of the past have recognized the
grammatical structure of the Article
as teaching explicitly that God is the
restorer, employing “the Lord Jesus
Christ” and the “Holy Spirit of
Grace” as His instruments in reach
ing and influencing “the whole family
of mankind,” and that the common
people Have never had any difficulty
in so understanding it, this objection
is simply hypercriticism of the most
finical sort.
Following the controversy on the
word “restore,” and on the alleged
Calvinism announced in the word
“will,” assault has been made od
Article III. It has been Baid that
the declaration that “Holiness and
true happiness are inseparably con
nected” is not true. If by happiness
is meant merely physical enjoyment
it may be truly said that happiness
is separable from holiness; but if, as
is reasonable to suppose, happiness
means in any religious or ethical
statement, spiritual blessedness, or
the pleasures of an approving con
science, then is it undeniable that
happiness is inseparable from holi
ness. This is what the Scriptures
teach, as in the Old Testament:
“Whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy
is he;” "He that keepeth the law,
happy is he;” “Happy is that people
whose God is the Lord;” “Blessed,”
i. e. very happy, “are they that keep
his testimonies.” And in the New
Testament: “Blessed are ye when
men shall hate you;” "Blessed are
they who are persecuted for right
eousness, sake;” “If ye be reproached
for the name of Christ, happy are ye,
for the Spirit of Glory and of God
resteth upon you.” And so Jesus
speaks of Joy, which is the word
designating the highest happiness, as
his portion even when he knows that
he is about to experience theseveiest
physical anguish, and says to his
disciples: “These things have I
spoken unto you, that my joy might
remain in you, and that your joy
might be full.”
Bishop Butler has said: “Virtue
must be the happiness and vice the
misery of every creature.” And
Matthew Arnold renders John i, 17:
“Happiness and reality came by
Jesus Cbrist.” Indeed, for us to
deny that holiness and true happi
ness are inseparably connected, is to
deny what Uuiversalists have taught
in the past, and still continue to
teach, concerning the perfect har
mony of God’s commands with our
moral constitution, and to make the
result of holiness arbitrary and not
causal.
It is further objected to Article III,
that it is utilitarian in its doctrine,
that “believers ought to be careful
to maintain order and practice good
works, for these things are good and
profitable unto men.” Wherein does
this essentially differ from the state
ment and exhortation of Paul to
Titus: “Faithful is the saying, and
concerning these things I will that
thou affirm confidently, to the end
that they who have believed God
may be careful to maintain good
works. These things are good and
profitable unto men.” And if we
remember that the uniform tenor of
the Scriptures is, that “godliuess is
profitable to all things,” producing
peace, content, putting man into
harmony with all good; that “ought”
is expressive of moral obligation to
obey, to “be bound in duty or by the
principles of right,” and that, as has
been said by an eminent writer on
ethics, “the question why I ought to
do right? shows that oughtness
takes precedence,” and by another
that “the word ought is the strongest
ethical word in the language;” and
if we further consider that the good
sought by such ethical demand must
be moral good, must exclude merely
sordid ambition for the things that
are less than moral good, the utilitar
ianism vanishes; and the words of
Article III set forth in tersest form,
the doctrine of the Scriptures and of
the highest moral philosophy.
The latest objection in the chrono
logical order, is to Article I., that in
its statement that “the Holy Scrip
tures of the Old and New Testaments
contain a revelation of the character
of God.” etc., “It makes too much of
the Scriptures.” This is certainly a
strange crit'cism to make on any
Christian creed, and most strange of
all to come from members of a
Christian sect which claims that it
sets forth the highest interpretation
of the Scriptures and whose history
shows its uniform appeal to a “Thus
saith the Lord.” And it is a glaring
inconsistency that these objectors
nevertheless profess that they accept
Jesus Christ “as a spiritual leader;”
for where, in the whole range of the
universe do they learn what he was
and what he taught, except in the
Holy Scriptures? And equally true
is it that the same Scriptures as
plainly teach that he is the revealer
of God, commissioned in a special
sense to authoritatively show men the
Father,“the brightness of God’s glory
and the express image of his person;”
the only one to whom the Father has
committed the reconciliation of the
world to Himself, and through and
by whom “God shall be all in all.”
As a logical necessity, therefore, the
Universalist Church as a Christian
Church must believe that “the Holy
Scriptures of the Old and New Testa
ments contain a revelation of the
character of God and of the duty,
interest and final destination of man
kind.”
As no statement has yet been of
fered, nor, considering the peculiar
ities of thought prevailing among
those who would be ambitious to
have a hand in making it, is any
likely to be offered, which will have
less theological difficulties than the
Winchester Profession has, I am of
the opinion that we do not need a
new creed.
OUR LIFE.
BY BAYAKDTAYLOli
Our life is scarce the twinkle of a star
In God's eternal day. Obscure and dim
With mortal clouds, it yet may beam for
him,
And darkened here, shine fair to spheres
afar.
I will be patient, lest my sorrow bar
His grace and blessing, and I fall supine;
In my own hands my want and weakness
are,
My strength O God, in Thine.
CENTRAL OHIO ASSO
CIATION.
REPORTED BY DR. HENLEY.
The annual session of Central Ohio
Association held at Caledonia, Septem
ber 2-5 was largely a'tended, and the
proceedings harmonious and enthusi
astic. Caledonia, Reynoldsburg, Jersey,
Bellville, and Flint churches were rep
resented by delegates, and Mansfield,
Zanesville and Columbus churches by
their ministers.
On Thursday evening, Bro.George H.
Ashworth delivered an excellent sermon
on “Spiritual Ldfe.” A conference
meeting was conducted Friday morning
by Bro. G. W. Ault, President.
At 2 p. m., after a short song service,
and prayer by Mr. Ashworth, reports
from the eight active churches were
read by Mr. Edward Hipsher. The
facts presented were in the main en
couraging. In the absence, through
ill health, of Rev. F. M. Pitkin, pastor
of Jersey Circuit, Dr. J. W. Henley,
State Superintendent, made an encour
aging report regarding the mission at
Summit Station,
Mies Sophia Wieland, ot Mount
Gilead, read an excellent paper on the
question, “Is Uoiverealism a Missionary
Religion?” The subject was presented
in a very suggestive and emphatic man
ner from an affirmative standpoint.
Next followed an earnest discussion
of the question: “How to strengthen
Universalism in Ohio.” By request
Dr. Henley led in the discussion, and
wasfollowed by G. H. Ashworth, Philip
Wieland, Dr. E. L. Rexford, and quite a
number of others. The trend of ad
dresses was in favor of more spiritual
life and greater concentration and co
operation in work.
An excellent paper on “Fruit Bearing,”
by Miss Georgia Johnson, was read by
Miss Michaels, of Flint. At this point
Dr. Henley made an appeal for a contri
bution to the Ministerial Rslief Fund,
This was followed by the “Question
Box,” Dr. Rexford giving answers to the
questions proposed which covered quite
a variety of subjects. This was a very
interesting and profitable feature of the
session.
The evening session was under direc
tion of the Associational Young Peoples’
Christian Union. The topic, "Spiritual
Life” was discussed by Dr. Rexford,
who began his remarks with aquotation
from Swedenborg: “Things which ap
pear are but shadows ot things unseen”
and the address was in harmony with
that statement. Mr. Edward Hipsher,
read an interesting paper on “Religion
in Music.”
This was followed by an address by
Mr. Ashworth, on “Some Things the
Young People's Christian Union Can
Do,” and the address was replete with
suggestions in regard to the assistance
the Union can give in aiding in the
work ot the Universalist Church. In
this, as in all other sessions, there wbb
spirited singing, led by Mr. Hipsher,
who presided at the organ.
At 9 o'clock Saturday morning, an
excellent conference meeting whs led
by Bro. Philip Wieland, and a large
number participated. Dr. Rexford closed
the conference with prayer.
The Woman's Missionary Alliance
held a session, Miss Ada Case, of Flint,
serving as president. The Scriptures
were read and a fervent prayer was of
fered by Mrs. J. Girty, of Caledonia.
Reports from Alliances at Flint and
Caledonia were read, by Miss Minnie
Hipsher, Secretary. They showed con
clusively the value of this auxiliary.
Miss M. A. Bortle stated that an Alli
ance bad been organized at Mansfield.
A paper on “The Alliance—a True
Force,” by Mrs. J. Irwin waB read by
Miss Irwin.
At 2:15 a praiBe service was held,
after which Dr. Henley by appointment
delivered an address on "How to Reach
the Masses,” in which he called atten
tion to the work that paBtorB could ac
complish by afternoon and week-night
services, in places contiguous to their
work; the value of the Post Office Mis
sion of the Young People's Christian
Union was illustrated; and be also sug
gested that the Unions could hold rn-et
ings in various places, and bv their
songs, prayers, papers and talks, can
help in showing "What Universalism is
in theory and practice.”
Rev. Mrs. L. D. Crosley, Miss M. A„
Bortle, and Mr. Wieland followed with
earnest and stimulating remarks, Mrs.
Crosley, as Chairman of the Committee
on Associational Conferences made a
brief report, and it was voted to con
tinue such meetings, and the ministers
of the Association were made a com
mittee with Mrs. Crosley, as chairman,
to arrange for time and places to hold
these conferences.
Dr. Henley was called to the chair,
and presided at the election of officers,
which resulted as follows:
President, Miss Martha A. Bortle,
Mansfield.
Secretary, Edward Hipsher, Caledonia.
Treasurer, O. P. Bushnell, Mount
Gilead.
Miss Bortle accepted the office of
president with a few appropriate re
marks. A hearty vote of thanks was
tendered to Bro. G. W. Ault, retiring
president, for hie faithful services. It
was voted that the president and secre
tary and Bro. G. W. Ault be committee
on program and place of meeting for
1898.
On motion it was voted to donate tive
dollars from the fundB of the Association
to the Ministerial Relief Fund.
The subject of redietrictieg the state
for Associations was referred to the
Mid-year Ministerial Association, and
Dr. Henley was authorized to commu
nicate this matter to the Association.
After settlement of bills for expenses
of the Association, Mibb May Merrill
read a paper written by Mr. A. J. Mer
rill of Jersey church, on “Practical
Christianity.” The paper was full of
excellent suggestions.
At 4 p. m. the Associational Y. P. C.
U., held a business session. After
prayer by Dr. Rexford, reports of Unions
at Jersey, Flint, Bellville and Caledonia
were presented, all showing the valua
ble work this auxiliary is doing "for
Christ and the Church.
Miss Mary Andrews, corresponding
secretary of the State Y. P. C. U , made
an excellent address on the work of the
union, and gave the places of the State
Executive Board for the present year.
The officers for the cotniDg year are, B.
M. Partridge, president; vice president,
Alva Beem; secretary, Miss Mabel Uar
ber, Bellville; treasurer, Miss Margaret
Marshall; missionary committee, Misses
Ada Case and May Merrill.
The evening services were under di
rection of tl e Y. P. C. U. An excellent
"consecration service” was led by Miss
Luella Rummell, who, after Scripture
reading, asked all present to unite in
sentence prayerB. The large number
who participated in this exercise should
convince the most skeptical of the value
of the Union in training our young peo
ple to be devotional. This service was
closed by the leader beginning the
Lord's Prayer in which nearly every
body voluntarily participated.
A number spoke on the topic "The
Use the Y. P. C. U. should make of the
Bible,” and the conclusion reicbed was,
that all would be profited by a more dil
igent “ searching of the Scriptures.”
An excellent paper on “ Christian
Citizenship ” by Rev. John Richardson,
was read by the secretary, A young
man whose name we did not obtain,
rendered two excellent violin s los. Miss
Michaels rendered in a good manner, a
resitation entitled “The Dividing Line.”
Mr. E. Hipeher and Mrs. Crosley sang a
duet. The meeting closed with an ad
dress by Dr. Henley, on “ The Young
People’s Christian Union and the
Church,” which was well received.
At 9 a. m., on Sunday, the Sunday
school held its usual session. The in
terest was increased by the address
given by Dr. Rexford on the lesson of
the day.
At 10: .30 Dr. Rexford delivered an ex
cellent sermon on "Spiritual Hospital
ity,” which was followed by the Holy
Communion.
At 2 p. m. the officers of the Y. P. C.
U. held a meeting to discuss plans for
work during the year.
The Occasional Sermon was delivered
at 3 p. m.. by Mrs. M. A. Bortle, subject
“ Upon this Rock I will Build my
Church.” The 6ermon was full of in
structive suggestions in regard to the
true foundations of Christian Life.
At 7: 30 p. m. a praiee service was
held, after which Dr. Rexford delivered
the final sermon of the Association; sub
ject “ From the Supernatural to the
Natural.”
The attendance of ministers, dele
gates and visitors numbered sixty, and
the spirit of the meeting was inspiring
throughout. j. w. h.
^ NEW BOOKS.
GENERAL GRANT. By James Grant
Wilson New York: D. Appleton &Co.,
pp. 31)0. Cloth, $1.50.
This life of General Grant is the
twelfth volume of the Great Commander
Series which the Appleton's are issuing.
Amid all the multitudinous books on
the history of the Rebellion, and the
various lives of General Grant, this
volume holds an honorable and in some
respects, an unique place. In the com
pass of less than 400 pages, it gives a con
cise biography of Grant, and a full and
scientific description of his various cam
paigns with interesting memorials of the
illustrious soidier, and the several
historic episodes, civic and military, in
which he bore so prominent a part.
General Wilson, the author, a well
known soldier, served under Grant at
Vicksburg, and for nearly a quarter of a
century wsb his faithful and intimate
friend. The volume is enriched by a
series of letters written during the war
by Grant to the Hon. Elihu B. Wash
burns, and communicationsfrom several
of Grant's surviving classmates and
comrades in the Military Academy at
West Point. The literary quality of the
volume is one of its chief recommends,
tions. It is not a hastily thrown to.
gather narrative, but a carefully pre
pared and well executed work, with a
clear description of the several cam
paigns and the military movements in
which the great commander took part.
The illustrations and fac similes are
excellent, and the ten maps which it
contains are of great value. The noble
character of the great General, his ex
alted patriotism, magnanimity and
kindness of heart, is well portrayed and
shows the man Grant, as great in domes
tic and civic virtues as he wbb amid the
now historic scenes of the war. General
Wilson’s volume is deserving of commen
dation as a faithful record of Grant's
military career, and a well written biog
raphy of the great soldier. Grant will
live in American history as the third
great figure in the providential life of
the Nation. He is already embalmed in
the affections of the American people,
and next to Washington and Lincoln
will be revered and honored by all
future ages as the great captain of the
civil war who, when victory crowned the
cause of the Union, said: "Let us have
peace.”
LADS' LOVE. By S. R. Crockett, Au
thor of “The Lilac Sunbonnet,”—
“The Moss-Hags,’’ etc. Illustrated.
New York: D. Appleton & Co., pp.
320. Price *1.50
Mr Crocket's latest story, which
bears the above title, while it cannot be
considered one of bis beet, is neverthe
less good enough to make the fortune
of any unknown author. “Lads’ Love”
is the old name, Mr. Crockett tells us,
“for the scented wormwood or southern
wood, a sprig of which our mothers
used to wear when they went courting,
and cur grandmothers carried with
them in their Bibles to church.” The
scene of course, is in Scotland, Mr.
Crockett's beloved land, and his charac
ter's are drawnfrom among that interest
ing people. The genius of Mr. Crockett
comes out in his fine character sketch
ing, and the pathos and tender
ness with which he invests his narra
tive. The Scottish dialect will not
trouble the reader very much. What
the author styles ‘the somewhat peculiar
and composite flavor of the stories,”
gives a freshness to the narrative which
is quite attractive. Moorland life in
Scotland, half a century ago, is lived
over again in these pleasing pages. The
poetical title of the book indicates
somewhat, the idyllic character of the
Bevnral chapters. It is a sweet and
wholesome story, or series of sketches,
and leaves a fragrance in the memory
akin to the old-time ecent of Southern
wood which will be remembered by many
that read the volume. Stories of
Scottish life, character and sentiment of
which we recently have had so many
from Mr. Crockett and the author of
the “ Bonnie Briar Bush,” have proved
quite popular in this day and genera
tion, and this latest story by Crockett
sustains the interest and well epito
mises the “various humours,idylls, loves
and tragedies” which have made these
stories popular and attractive.
MORNINGS IN THE COLLEGE
CHAPEL. Short Addresses to Young
men on Personal Religion. B.v Francis
Greenwood Peabody. Boston and New
York: Houghton Mifflin & Co. Price
1.25.
This beautifully printed volume is full
of riches, It contains ninety-one short
sermons or addressee by Professor Pea
body, to the young men of Harvard
University, at the morning services in
the college chapel. The entire service
is but fifteen minutes long, and hence
the address must not occupy more than
a few minutes, and “can at the best,”
as the author says, "indicate only a
single wholesome thought with which a
young man may begin his day.” Dr.
Peabody is the Plummer Professor of
Christian morals in the University, and
these addresses on personal religion are
models of concise style and fine spiritual
thought. The volume may be described
as “infinite riches in little room.” Every
word is valuable, and every word is in
its place,
The addresses may be profitably
studied by young ministers as a good
example of how much may be said that
is uplifting and helpful to the religious
experience, in a few brief moments. It
would be a good exercise for young min
isters to take these seed-thoughts of
the accomplished Harvard Professor,
and expand them into discourses of the
usual length. It would be a “spiritual
exercise,” even more profitable than
those laid down in formal devotional
books. The little volume is dedicated
to Professor Peabody's “ beloved and
revered colleagues, tbe preachers to
the University, and to the sacred mem
ory of Phillip-Brooks,” of the first staff
of preachers, whose religious genius
and loving personality found expression
in a similar series of addresses eleven
years ago in the College Chapel.
We give following two of these brief
addressee as examples of the many con
tained in the volume:
Capacity Extirpated By Itisust-,
Matthew xxv. 29.
The parable of the talents begins with
its splendid encouragement to those who
have done their best, but it ends with a
solemn warning and with tbe stern an
nouncement of a universal law. It i9
this, that from him who dees not use his
powers there is taken away even the
power that he has. Tbe gift is lost by
the lack of exercise or as Horace Bush'
nell stated the principle, the “capacity
is extirpated bydause”
The principle has manifold illustra
tions. The hand or muscle disused
withers in power. The fishes of the
Mammoth Cave, having no use for their
eyes lose them. Mr. Darwin in an im
pressive passage of hie biography testi
ties that he began life with a taste for
poetry and music, but that by disuse
this (esthetic taste grew atrophied so
that at last he did not care to read a
poem or to hear a musical note. So it is>
says JesuB, with spiritual insight and
power. Sometimes we see a man with
intellectual gifts lose his grasp on spirit
ual realities, and we ask: “Howisit that
so learned a man can find little in these
things? Does not he testify that these
things are illusions?” Not at all. It is
simply that be has not kept his life
trained on that side. His capacity has
been extirpated by disuse. He may
know much of science or language, but
he has lost his ideals. Webearayoung
man sometimes say that he has grown
soft by lack of exercise. Well, if you
live a few years you will see people who
have grown soft in soul, and you will see
some great blow of fate smite them and
crush them because their spiritual
muscle is flabby and weak. Ignatius
Loyola laid down for hie followers cer
tain methods of prayer which he called
“Spiritual Exercises.” So in one sense
they were. They kept eoulsin training.
The exercise of the religious nature is
the gymnastics of the soul, and the dis
use of the religious natures extirpates
ito capacity. That is tbe solemn ending
of tbe parable of tbe talents. From
him who does not use bis power there is
taken away even the power that he
hath.
The Song of the Angel*.
Luke ii. 8-14,
We are beginning to feel already the
eweep of life that hurries us all along to
the keeping of the Christmas season;
our music already takes on a Christmas
tone, and we begin to hear the song
of the angels’, which seemed to the
Evangelists to give the human birth
of Jesus a tit accompaniment in the
harmonies of heaven.
This song of the angels, as we have
been used to reading it, was a threefold
meseage; of glory to God, peace on
earth, and good will among men; but the
better scholarship of theRevised Version
now reads in the verse a twofold mes
sage. First, there is glory to God, and
then there is peace on earth to the men
of good-will. Those, that is to say who
have the good-will in themselves are
the oDes who will And peace on earth.
Their unselfishness brings them their
personal bappinese. They give them
selves in good will, aDd so they obtain
peace. That is the true epirit of the
Christmas season. It is the good-will
which brings the peace, Over and over
again in these months of feverish
scrambling for personal gain, men have
sought for peace and have not found it;
and now when they turn to this gener
ous good will, the peace they sought
comes of itself. Many a man in the
past year has had his misunderstand
ings or grudges or quarrels rob him of
his own peace; but now, as he puts
away these differences as unfit for the
season of good-will, the peace arrives.
That is the paradox of Christianity.
He who seeks psace does not find it. He
who gives peace Rods it returning to him
again. He who hoards bis life loses it,
and be who spends it Rads it: —
“Not what we give, but wbat we share,
For the gift without the giver is bare
Who gives himself with his aims feeds
three,—
Himself, his hungering neighbor, and
me.
That is the s vest and lingering echo
of the angels’ song.
University Extensi n in a Novel
Form.
An Outgrowth of the Famous World's
Congresses.
We are in receipt of the first number of
the new course of lessons on Universal
Religion, contained in “Progress,” pub
lished by The University Association of
Chicago. The publication is not a monthly
magazine containing sundry heterogeneous
articles, but strictly a series of lessons
issued monthly, corresponding indeed to
what a university professor would dictate
to his students in a college course on the
subject. Courses in History and Litera
ture have already been published, each
covering a full year's work.
Each number of “Progress” is divided
into twenty-four parts, each representing
a daily lesson or reading. At the end of
each week is a review with questions cov
ering the work accomplished. Even the
University library is represented in the
unique feature of quotations from (not
merely references to) standard authorities
which are appended to each lesson, and
indeed generally equal the text in length.
Again, an illustration on well nigh every
page brings the University museum as far
as is possible within the reach of the
reader. Finally, it is college and univer
sity professors who are specialists on the
subjects treated, that have been secured
to prepare the various lessons; usually
one professor contributing for not more
than two weeks, in order to secure the
highest efficiency. It is plain that in this
manner the most trustworthy material
has been secured : and it is no surprise to
us that the University Association is al
teady able, at the close of only two years’
work, to report a membership of about
30.0(X), meeting in some 1,400 centers in
different states of the Union.
Be ides this general information, our
readers will wish to learn something more
in detail of the course on Universal Re
ligion beginning this autumn,of which the
first number lies before us. First, comes
a statement made by the Hon. C. C.
Bonney, LL. D.. President of all the
World's Fair Congresses of 1303 and
President of the International Council of
the University Association, concerning
the connection of tie Association move
ment with the World's Cougresses, and
especially concerning the dominant inter
est accorded the Religious Congress (the
so called Parliament of Religions) among
the others. Dr. Bonney furthermore em
phasizes the impartial character of the
Religious Congress, without which fea
ture it would plainly have been simply
impossible. This parliamentary equality
has often been confounded by hasty de
fenders of the faith with equality in value,
though the latter was never allowed in the
Parliament, and indeed should form the
conclusion and not the beginning of a dis
cussion on the subject. On the other
hand, that which cannot endure compari
son must indeed be in a suspicious condi
tion.
After this, in itself interesting, reminis
cence of the great World’s Fair, the les
sons proper begin. The first three lessons
were prepared by the famous F. Max
Muller, Professor of Philology in the Uni
versity of Oxford, England, whose versa
tile mind seems equally at home in the
connected science which Professor Muiler
styles “Comparative Theology,” and dis
cusses in these lessons. The balance of
the first week’s six lessons are occupied by
an Introduction from the pen of the editor
in-chief, Edmund Buckley, Ph. D., Docent
of Comparative Religion in the University
of Chicago, which throws much light on
the subject to be treated.
The second week is occupied by an ac
count of the “History of Culture (Civili
zation),” from the pen of Otis T. Mason,
Ph. D., Curator of the Department of An
thropology, National Museum, Washing
ton, D. C.
The third week proceeds to treat actual
religions by describing the native “Relig
ious of North and South America," which
is admirably done by George A. Dorsey,
Ph. D. Assistant Curatorof Anthropology,
Field Columbian Museum, Chicago.
In the fourth week Professor Leon
Marillier. of the University of Paris,
France, presents in picturesque fashion
the native “Religions of Africa and
Oeeauica.” Following is an interesting
treatise of the "Religious of Australia,”
by C. S. Wake, Ex-Director of the An
thropological Institute of Great Britain
and Ireland. Finally comes excellent
Side-lights and a complete pronouncing
Gazetteer and Glossary of the proper
names used in the lessons. The whole
number is profusely, and fittingly illus
trated, and with its 100 pages of printed
matter, without a paragraph of padding,
surely affords the best month’s reading
studious people can desire.
The course as a whole will form the
most complete treatise of the religions of
the world ever issued, and will prove both
interesting and instructive to people of all
denominations. We commend the plan of
Progress” to the attention of our read
ers interested in the history and develop
ment of universal Religion..
He that loses conscience has nothing
left that is worth keeping.