The Universalist. [volume], October 23, 1897, Page 2, Image 2

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

Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

                
These men who were to be the first
preachers of the kingdom needed the
divine power that was bestowed upon
them on that eventful day. How
otherwise could they have pro
claimed the good news of the gos
pel of Christ? This whole narrative
is a splendid inspiration. Think,
my brethren, of these first champions
of the Cross goiDg forth with joy and
helpfulness, burning with zeal for the
cause of the Christ born of this new
life which had come to them. The
power of the Spirit of God has en
tered within their souls. Feeble and
distrustful before, they are now con
fident and strong. The story of their
heroism, their self-sacrifice, their en
durance, their loyalty to Christ, is
explicable in the light of this whole
narrative. Periods of depression
they might have and did have after
wards, but the might of the Spirit
finally enabled them to conquer.
It i«* a noteworthy fact, and one 1
would urge upon your respectful at
tention, that these same disciples had
worked and toiled with their Master
all through his earthly career. Look
ing at it from the standpoint which
would be likely to impress us most,
their opportunities for spiritual in
struction had been of an unusual
order. They had listened to his
words of wisdom, and seen him per
form his wonderful wotks. They had
come under the influence of his char
acter, and felt the majesty of his pres
ence. Moreover, they were not defic
ient in natural gifts and qualifica
tions for the work that lay before
them. In calling them to his service
by the Lake of Galilee, the divine
Master must have seen that they
possessed those gifts in greater or less
degree; and yet, with all these ad
vantages which were theirs, there was
a something they all lacked. They
needed power. What was that pow
er? Notthe power of logic, or knowl
edge, or eloquence. All these they
might possess and yet be unfit for the
work committed to their trust. This
is a fact which cannot be ignored,
and is full of serious suggestion for
us today. Fullness of knowledge,
eloquence of speech, mere force of
logic, are not sufficient to accomplish
the work of God in the world. Nay,
more, if this be so, as a recent writer
has well put it: “The sublime story
of the ‘Cross,’ the history of the life
of Christ, no matter how eloquently
or how impressively told, will fail to
impress and convert, unless the power
of the spirit accompany the proclama
tion. Not by might, nor by the learn
ing or eloquence of man, but by the
spirit of God, is the truth of the ever
lasting kingdom to touch and impress
the human heart. Let us heed in
these later days the manifest teach
ing of Olivet and Pentecost.”
The promise of Pentecost was first
made to the Apostles, and, through
them, to all who should carry on
God’s work in the world. The
church in all ages is to have a share
in these spiritual gifts. The treasury
of heaven can stand all the demands
that may be made upon it. Not
a note but will be honored to its full
extent. There can be no failure in
God. There can be no limit to his
resources. In the further develop
ment of our subject today, I will ask
the question: How has the promise
of the Spirit been fulfilled? Has the
church been faithful to her holy
trust? Has she depended upon the
strength that comes from above?
Let us turn to the pages of the his
tory of organized Christianity for an
answer to our question. What do we
find as a result of a careful examina
tion? Has the church availed her
self of the privileges vouchsafed at
Pentecost? Has the dispensation of
the Spirit been a steady and continu
ous development? Would to God we
could answer in the affirmative. In
place of an humble dependence on
his power.history tells us of a trust in
kings and princes, in miLerial forces,
in ecclesiastical rites and ceremonies(
in systems of theology. The Apostle
Paul, in addressing the church at
Corinth, uses these forcible words:
“For the weapons of our warfare are
not carnal, but mighty through God
to the pulling down of strongholds.”
Already the apostolic eye may have
seen, even in that early day, a dis
position on the part of the leaders
which needed just such an admoni
tion. What are the carnal weapons
but simply human agencies and in
strumentalities operating apart from
God? How sadly the Apostle’s dec
laration has been needed. How
often it has been forgotten. It is
scarcely necessary that I should il
lustrate at any length the point I am
endeavoring to make. History fur'
nishes testimony that cannot be dis
puted. The facts that are chronicled
on the pages of the ecclesiastical re
cords of Christendom present unim
peachable evidence. W’hen the
Church of Christ has trusted in carnal
weapons, shame and confusion have
attended her efforts; but when she
has fought her battles with the sword
of the Lord and in his might, she has
waxed strong and has prevailed. Her
days of darkness and disaster, of
utter weakness and failure, have been
days when the Spirit has been absent
from the pulpit, and the promise of
old, neglected, trodden under foot
and despised. Her days of victory
for Christ have been days when her
preachers and her people have heeded
the word: “Ye shall receive power,
after that the Holy Ghost is come
unto you.” Neglect that blessed
spirit, and faith in that divine power, j
and every instrumentality of man,
however beautiful and naturally
effective it may be in itself, is useless
for all spiritual purposes.
Suppose that the apostles of old
instead of waiting upon God in earn
est prayer during those preparatory
days that intervened between the
Ascension and the coming of the
Spirit, had thought only of the world
and of worldly methods. Could the
day of Pentecost have come? Would
the Spirit have entered into hearts
unfit to welcome and accept? Sup
pose they had wandered away during
the-t peiiod from the spirituality of
the teaching of Jesus, and had spent
their time in cold and lifeless contro
versy as to its meaning, could the day
of Pentecost have come? Suppose
they had busied themseJves in profit
less speculation and theorizing as to
what this coming power might be,
could the day of Pentecost have
come? Again, imagine, if you can,
that instead of the united love and
concord that marked those prayerful
gatherings in the upper room at
Jerusalem, there had been strife and
discord and dissension, could the
blessed Spirit have come to a divided
body?
Let it never be forgotten that God
works by law. His laws operate just
as truly in the spiritual kingdom
as in any other kingdom. He, him
self, gives the vital influence requis
ite to make our work effectual. The
spiritual law bids us to use the best
instrumentalities and employ the
means of grace as opportunities per
mit, but, above all, to ask God to
give the blessing. Obedience to this
law will revolutionize our spiritual
life. Men have talked of organizing
revivals of Spirit within the churches,
and so far as those revivals have been
conducted in obedience to the great
spiritual laws which govern life and
progress within the church, they have
prospered. »So far as they have de
pended upon the organization or wis
dom of man, they have failed. Pente
cost was intended to be a perpetual
blessing. It may become so as the
church in these days fulfills as rea
dily as the disciples did of old, the
preliminary conditions attaching to
the promise that was made to them.
Speaking on behalf of our own
beloved church, the message I would
venture to address to you this day is
one of vital moment. Our need is
the power of the Spirit. What can
take the place of that power? Surely
we require it just as much as the
apostles did. The age in which we
live has not outgrown the Gospel of
Christ. Men talk at times as if that
Gospel was obsolete, old-fashioned
or unable to meet the requirements
of the new age. When they have
done so it is because the church her
self has failed to trust in the power
which can make that Gospel effect
ual, and has lowered the standard of
spirtual life in false conformity to
the current thought and speculation
of the times.
Much discussion is going on in the
world without as to the future exist
ence of this particular branch of the
Christian church. We hear it said
from time to time that in the growing
liberalities of religious belief we are
to be absorbed and our indentity as
an individual denomination is to be
merged in other bodies. This is a
good opportunity to answer, and we
! trust, for all time, such criticism. If
the existence of a church depended
simply on the enunciation of certain
theological beliefs, there might be a
grain of truth in the criticism; but if
a church exists to do spiritual work
in this world of ours, to better hu
manity, to bring men into subjection
to the great principles of righteous
ness, then we apprehend there can be
no time when it may be proper to say
that such a church under the guid
ance of God’s spirit, and dependent
upon the power of that spirit, can be
said to have completed its work in
the world.
If anything can interfere with the
future of the Universalist church, it
must be because of failure from
within. Without the spirit of God
we have no name to live. With
that spirit in our midst we have
glorious aud abundant work still
to do for him in this our day and
generation. We talk of our difficult
ies, our dangers, our mistakes, and
it is well that we should do so; but
what we really want is the baptism
of the spiritfrom on high. Learning
will be powerless, intellect will be
powerless, eloquence will be power
less, machinery will be powerless,
without this baptism. Not one of
these, nor all of these, will form a
substitute for it. This is the powt r
our church wants, and the possession
of it in its fulness will overwhelm the
critics and give glory to God. The
other day I stood on the wharf of one
of our great steamship companies in
the city of New York. Lying in her
dock before me was a magnificent
vessel. What a monument of human
skill and ingenuity! What a testi
mony to the progress of the age. She
is a marvel of engineerng ability,
Occasional Sermon by Rev. A. G. Rogers, D. D.
.... General Convention, Chicago, 1897. . . .
and vet all that machinery represent
ing a vast amount of brain and effort
is helpless without the power of
steam which is to propel that mighty
leviathan in her passage across the
ocean. Let that power once affect
her machinery, and how majestically
Bhe glides away on her outward voy
age. We need a hidden power which
shall put in motion and render effect
ual the organization of our chuich
life. Without that power, all our
boasted appliances for the perform
ance of spiritual work will be vain
and fruitless.
I count it a privilege to bear testi
mony, a very grateful testimony, to
the splendid work rendered by our
denomination in the days that are
past. I rejoice to speak of the fidel
ity to principle which marked .that
work. We live in an age when a new
power is stirring the heaits of men.
On all sides we hear the cry for a
forward movement. They tell us
that this age is a be tt« r one than any
preceding it; that it is marked by a
larger, fuller life, atd a truer and
nobler service. There is a glad op
timistic ring in all this which
awakens hope and courage. At the
parting of the ways, when there may
be a disposition to burn incense on
the altar of present opportunities,
and in so doing to forget the obliga
tion to the past, it may be well very
briefly to review the present position
of theological thought, and mention
some of the clear gains that have
been made during the century that
is so soon to close its final chapter.
We shall find that the controversies
of each successive period of thought
have only served to lead the church
to a clearer understanding of the
truth as it is in Jesus. No new Gos
pel has been discoved to Bupplant
the old, but the old has been r-ad in
a new light. Verily, creeds and dog
mas change, but the everlasting Gos
pel remains. The Gospel preached
by Peter and Paul, and which moved
men mightily in those days, is the
same Gospel which today when pro
claimed with like fervor will have
power and will prevail.
Let us now examine some of our
theological gains:
1. The truer thought of God preva
lent in the teaching and preaching of
this day must be regarded as one of
the clear gains made. Contrast the
preaching now almost’ 'universal
which loves to dwell upon the bless
edness of God’s love to all men,even
the most sinful and guilty, with that
which regarded his attitude of love as
a writer once put it. “a* a mere judi
cial pity for the world.” It seems al
most beyond belief, but a careful pe
rusal of many sermons that have
come to us will bear out the state
ment. The appeal to the sinner in
these later days is based not upon
the terrors of some future hell, but
on the infinite tenderness of a Father
yearning for his wandering children.
It is surely a gain that we have been
brought thus to understand what is
so clearly stated in the New Testa
ment, but has been so imperfectly
understood by the church in all these
centuries,—that “God is love,” and
that his kingdom is and ever will be
the rule of love. The Gcd of the
modern pulpit is a being infinitely
pitiful, a friend eternally faithful, a
Father who shares the joys and sor
rows of his children. The proclama
tion of the universal Fatherhood of
God has not injured the activities of
the church. One has well said: “It is
a matter of profound moment that
this idea of God has only served
to quicken all missionary movement
at home and abroad.” The nobler
and more Christian faith in God has
quickened the church’s zeal. Let
those who work in the vineyard once
grasp this wondrous truth and there
must follow a holy passion for souls.
2. Another clear gain may be
termed a truer view of the personality
of Jesus Christ, and the scope and
purpose of his work and mission.
The great doctrine of bis humanity
had been hidden. Without this any
view of hiR divine nature would be
poor and barren. Today there is a
grander and more helpful conception
of Christ prevalent than in any pre
vious period of the church’s history.
Old views of the doctrine of atone
ment have perished. In place of
them there has come to the front a
diviner thought of the value of man,
and a deeper sense of the real one
ness of the race. That man does not
preach the Gospel who says: “God
loved because Christ died.” Jesus
did not come to this world to create
the love of God. He came to reveal
it.
3. A more inspiring view of human
nature is another theological gain. It
is not asserting too much to say that
the belief in the dogma of total de
pravity has been entirely abandoned.
It lingers still in credal form, but I
doubt whether you can find any one
seriously to maintain that self-sacri
fice, fidelity, honor, if found in non
profess'ng Christians, are of the na
ture of sin, and not pleasing to God.
-i. The dogma of the endless pun
ishment of the wicked has partici
pated in the change that has marked
other beliefs of the church. It could
not have been otherwise. Mediaeval
and Fagan ideas of punishment
could not stand in the presence of the
new light of advancing Christian
civilization. The ghastly horror of a
material place of torment is an impos
sibility. In place of these conceptions
of hell which bavesolongtrave.-ted di
vine love and justice, there has come
to be taught a dogma of retribution
helpful to the development of man
and worthy of the paternal govern
ment of a righteous God. At present
the whole matter awaits settlement.
The old ideas have been put on one
side. The church at large is not
ready as yet to accept a restatement
of the doctrine. The Universalist
Church at least holds a consistent
theory of retribution, and does not
hesitate to preach it.
5. As a natural result of these evi
dences of growth in the realm of be
lief, the religion of the times is
brighter and more cheerful in its tone,
and more practical in its work. The
new belief has inspired the best type
of philanthropy. Progressive belief
and self-Bacrificing work for human
ity have gone hand in hand. The
tree is known by its fruit. Wherever
the eye turns there is much to en
courage trust and hope for the future
in the practical Christianity of to day.
It brings out what a past theology
failed to do, the more joyful and
practical aspects of the Christian
life.
It might appear as if this brief
statement were unnecessary. I have
made it to you, fathers and brethren,
not because you need to be informed
of the growth which is going on
around you, and which so gladdens
all our hearts, but to remind you, es
pecially my younger brethren, that
to a very large extent this glorious
result must be attributed to the fa
thers of the Universalist Church.
Verily, it was a noble and lasting
work those men achieved. There
were spiritual giants in those days.
They interpreted religious truth, and
at once busied themselves in the
practical application of the same to
the living issues of life. Nay, more,
they were abreast of the great social
and philanthropic movements of their
times. In addition to their arduous
labors, they laid the foundations of
schools and colleges from which have
come forth many tocallthem tlessed*
Surely the inheritance into which we
have entered is one laden with many
rich, spiritual gifts. Are we worthy
of such a religious ancestry? If time
permitted, it would be profitable to
dwell on their consecrated service to
God and humanity. Time fails me
to tell of those who thought no sac
rifice too great to make for the truth
they so dearly loved. Blessed names
of thrice blessed memory.
What sustained those men of old
in the midst of trials and tribula
tions? for their lot was not cast in
times of tolerance. What gave them
courage to maintain the great truths
of our faith? There is only one ex
planation that can be given. The
fathers of our church loved the Word
of God and contended earnestly for
the faith once delivered to the saints.
The doctrine of the presence and
power of the Holy Ghost was an
abiding reality in their hearts and
lives. They labored, God knows how
nobly, how unselfishly, and we have
entered into their labors.
The providence of God has placed
us in an age which, like theirs, has
its special needs and requirements.
In a sense it is the greatest age the
world has ever seen. We are not
afraid of it. The spirit of all true
progress is the Spirit of God. There
is much in the age to cause dismay,
but not despair. God is not dead.
The world is not forgotten. Let us
take courage and press forward. As
we Burvey our own denominational
forces massed together for conflict,
wbat impresses us? We have a con
secrated ministry, educated and well
equipped for their work. We have a
people ready and willing to be led
along paths of usefulness. Our
churches occupy an honorable posi
tion in the religious world. The
epoch of controversy has passed
away. In many quarters the religious
atmosphere is charged with the Spirit
of Christian unity. The disciples of
the Master begin to know one an
other. The question before us as
we survey the situation is a vital one
—I venture to say more vital than
any that shall come before this hon
orable body: Are we winning vic
tories worthy of our magnificent
faith? Are we bringing souls to
God.
I have no opinion to offer at this
time for or against a modified state
ment of our standard of faith. The
discussion of the revision of the creed
does not properly enter into the
thought of this sermon. What I do
contend for here is that the first need
of our church is spiritual power. The
prayer of this convention should be
that the power from on high might
descend and fill the ministers and
people of our beloved Zion.
I approach this portion of my ser
mon with a due regard to the magni
tude and importance of the work
which jon have entrusted to me.
Shall we close our ears to our weak
nesses as a church? Shall we ignore
our difficulties? Our altar fires burn1
but dimly. The church is not sepa
rate enough from the world. Indeed,
it is difficult at times to mark the di
viding line. If we could look into
some of our churches as God looks
into them, wbat should we see—gar
dens full of ripe fruit, or parched and
barren deserts? What shall the har
vest be? Who among us would ven
ture to say that the success of the
Universalist Church is equal to her
opportunity? The church must get
nearer to her Master. Away from
Him, she is like an army cut off from
all supplies and exposed to the first
attack of the invader. There are
some dangers which confront us,
dangers which are real and vita),
and which must more or less hinder
the coming of that spiritual power
we so much need.
We are living in a period of re
markable activity which must of ne
cessity have its own peculiar difficul
ties. It will be manifestly unwise,
whilst rejoicing over its gains and
blessings, to close our eyeB to some
attending evils. One need not take
a gloomy view of the present state
of things. Hope is ever our duly,
but we are also bound to look at all
the facts. The greater opportunity
is the greater danger, and therefore
there is a call for renewed vigilance.
In alluding to some of the present
day perils that beset us as a church,
I do so with the prayerful desire to
inspire the resolutions and call forth
the energy of strong men. The tide
of progress can not be turned. Pos
sessing, as we trust, faith in the
living Christ, and in the truth as it
is in Him, we are not troubled with
doubts as to the ultimate issue. Be
lieving that God is ever present in
his world, we can not be other than
optimistic in our attitude toward
modern thought.
It is, nevertheless, true that there
are tendencies abroad which should
prompt us as a people to earnest
prayer. Is there anything in our
type of life which needs change?
Are we who preach strong in the
faith? Ib boaBted breadth of thought
and catholicity of purpose, a mere
covering for a lack of spiritual
fervor? Has the unrest in the world
without affected the character of our
work? These are heart searching
questions that cannot be lightly
treated, or dismissed in a hasty or
superficial manner. I fear that some
of the splendid weapons of our war
fare are suffering by reason of neg
lect. In treating this section of my
sermon, I find myself under obliga
tion to do so with far greater brevity
than its seriousness merits.
Id the reaction against the stern
theology of the past, certain aspects
of truth of vital moment in the de
velopment of religious life and char
acter may have been obscured to
such an extent, that the truth itself
may have become inoperative. The
process which produces such a con
dition in the churches may be termed
a secularizing of beliefs. That the
speaker is no mere alarmist in dwell
ing on this as a positive hindrance to
the reception of spiritual power,
might be evidenced by quotations
from recent speeches by leaders in
denominations other than our own.
But our business at the present time
is to investigate our own short-com
ings, not to occupy ourselves with
those of other religious bodies. A
brief word illustrating the influence
of this secular spirit in the realm of
dogma will be enough to emphasize
the thought 1 am anxious to bring
before your consideration.
Let us take the doctrine of the
Fatherhood of God, and show how
the presence of the secular spirit may
rob that great truth of much of its
power. We believe in the infinite
love of God, and delight to proclaim
it, but the justice of God remains
nevertheless, a great fact. Do we
preach this side of Fatherhood in
firm and unwavering accent? The
justice of God is revealed against
all manner of sin and unrighteous
ness, and to minimize this in preach
ing is to degrade the great truth of
Fatherhood. Infinite love is not in
finite good nature. God must hate
sin with all the intensity of a holy
nature. If the preacher discusses
the question of sin in such a manner
as to lead the hearer to regard it as
a misfortune or infirmity incident to
humanity, then the Gospel of for
giveness means nothing. Neglect to
lay emphasis on the sterner aspects
of truth, and faith becomes secular
ized, and thus practically inopera
tive.
We believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ. The power of that personal
ity to draw men is impaired if the
people are allowed to lose sight of
the vision of his glorious rela
the Father, and his exaltation to his
right hand. All efforts to dethrone
Christ have failed, and must fail.
Man has not outgrown need of him.
The sweetest, grandest music ever
suDg, chants the praises of his dear
name. Preach it, the light of the
world and the hope of humanity. To
conceal for a moment that divine
personality, to lower the standard of
the Cross as the central fact of Re
demption, is to yield to the secular
spirit.
The critics of today tell us that
the Bible as interpreted by them is
virtually a new book. There is a
certain truth in their statement,
scholars have thrown new light on
the sacred pages of the Word. And
yet in the intense desire to show its
human side, the sacred Volume
itself may become secularized.
The study of eschathology has so
excited many in these days as to
lead them to be half-hearted about
the spiritual results of their work.
It is possible so to discuss the future
life as to lead men to be indifferent
to the whole question of judgment.
Our preaching to be effective must
deal with the fact of retribution here
and hereafter. Not to give that a
place in our teaching is to be un
faithful to the revealed Gospel. The
secular influence is again at work,
and the coming of spiritual power
must be hindered.
I turn now to another hindrance to
the entrance of the Spirit’s Power,
viz , the secular method, closely allied
to secularism in belief, and more or
less affec'ed by it. The popular de
fence of the secular method is a very
common saying: ‘‘The end justifies
the means.” This is the specious
argument adopted by those who at
tempt to defend the use of carnal
weapons in spiritual warfare. The
spread of truth is so sublime a pur
pose, and the difficulties so great,
that the chnrch is often tempted to
stoop to conquer. It is one of the
cries of the day that religion must
be made attractive to the people; and
this is a real necessity, which no one
for a moment would dispute. We
are told that we must popularize our
methods, if we would win the fight
for righteousness. There is a certain
popularizing of method which means
nothing more or less than a debasing
of the church in the very eyes of the
people who are to be attracted.
Ways and means sometimes partake
of a very worldly character, and the
only pretense made as an explana
tion of such questionable procedure
is that the church must be support
ed, and the people must be enter
tained. There are some successes,
believe me, worse than utter failures.
Those who are thus helping to in
jure and degrade the church in the
estimate of the community need to
be told there is an appropriateness in
all method. This appropriateness
rests on a thorough harmony be
tween aim and method. To bring
humanity to the Lord Jesus Christ is
a noble and serious undeitaking. and
it should be conducted with great
gravity. Everything that hinders the
accomplishment of this aim is an un
christian method. Suppose that a
church thinks so exclusively of its
own interests as to neglect tbe needs
of the masses; suppose that in order
to support certain institutions that
minister to the personal gratification
of its adherents, it leads ths outside
critic to remark with a sneer: “Is
this a club or a church?” Is not all
this a pronounced instance of secu
larism of method? We cannot and
must not turn our buildings into
halls for competition with the world
of amusement. There must be no
lowering of the quality and standard
of our work. To make tbe attraction
of the church, love of the social and
recreative features of life, will nour
ish an ideal which must sadly im
pair the spiritual influence of the
church.
If the question of the morality of
methods is pertinent in politics, it is
much more so in Christian life and
work. The Church of Christ must do
great things, and she must do them
in a great way. The trouble in these
days is that churches are often afflict
ed with a desire tc make more dis
play, and so drift into the habit of
building up their resources by de
vices dishonoring to God and un
worthy of man. Such plans are un
worthy from start to finish, and ought
not to be tolerated in connection
with such a glorious enterprise.
Christianity is in the world to con
vert men, not to amuse them; to
build them up iu character, not to
furnish them with social life. The
church which the world demands,
and in point of fact the only church
which men of the world will ever re
spect, is not a sensational and secu
larized institution, propping itself up
with unworthy methods, net a church
with a passing show of interest in hu
manity, but a church which builds
on the religious ideal revealed to men
in Christ.
My dear brethren, the power to
overcome these influences may be
ours. It is as much within our
reach as ever. How are we to secure
it? I can give but one answer. Let
us go back to that Pentecostal morn
ing, and ponder over the situation
preceded the entiance of the
Spirit. United prayer to Almighty
Qod marked that little gathering in
the upper room at Jerusalem when
the promised power came. We are
told in the Scriptures that we in like
manner can obtain it. Listen to the
familiar words of the Book: “Ask
and it shall be given you; seek and
ye shall find; knock and it shall be
opened unto you; for every one that
asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh
findeth; and to him that knocketh it
shall be opened.” And when the
blessing came to that early church,
never, I pray you, ever forget the at
titude of those first heralds of the
Cross. Christ had promised them
the Spirit. His word was enough; it
could not fail. They were told to
wait in Jerusalem. How did they
wait? How did they occupy them
selves during that period? Notin
selfish indolence did they fold their
hands and wait. There was a mighty
and earnest voice ever goiDg up from
their midst to God. So it may be
with our church in these days. God
will open the very windows of heaven
and the richest blessings of his Grace
will descend upon us, but we must
plead for them,and ask them, or they
never can be ours. The strength of
our church today and in the future
must rest in the united and spiritual
prayer of our people. Possibly one
good result that may come to us out
of some failures that have marked
our efforts may be a revelation to us
of our utter weakness, save as we de
pend upon God.
What a renewed activity would be
manifest in all departments of our
denominational work if only these
conditions of success could be ful
filled. There would be a general ad
vancement all along the line of church
work. Much has been said and writ
ten of late concerning a forward
movement for theUniversalist Church.
This would be one worthy of our
Master and one worthy of our
past record as a religious people. One
great blessing would be a clearer vis
ion and a deeper experience of truth.
The great principles of our beloved
faith would become broader at the
base and more perfect in their splen
did proportions. There would be a
truer, because a more spiritual, con
ceptiou of the great verities of Chris
tianity. We Bhould be more spirit
ually-minded as a people, and our
spiritual mindedneBs would produce
a very remarkable effect on our men
tal perceptions and judgments. In
every discussion of doctrine and
statement of belief, there would be
no temptation to neglect the intel
lectual, but the intellectual aspect of
truth would ever be subordinate to
the spiritual.
Nay, more, the presence of the
spirit would show itself in a more
consecrated pulpit. The heart of the
Christian pastor under the domina
tion of this power from above would
yearn for the salvation of men. A ho
ly passion for souls would control his
speech. Every word would live, every
sentence would burn, every utter
ance be melodious with the words of
divine entreaty: ‘ Come unto me, and
I will give you rest.” From our pul
pit would issue forth in tones of pow
er the prophetic word of old: “Thus
saith the Lord.” “What we have
seen and heard that we declare unto
you,” would be the burden of the
preacher’s message; and Buch preach
ing, coming forth from the depths of
individual experience of men, would
have power with men, and prevail.
There would be no room for subtle
speculations in such a pulpit, ration
alizing truth, bewildering and mysti
fying men, but not helping them;
no dreamy and sentimental essays
indulging in poetic imagery instead
of practical thought, but the living
word of God instinct with the power
of the Spirit, and full of light and
truth. The church led by6uch a min
istry would grow in numbers, aud be
multiplied in all resources. Questions
affecting our attitude toward other
religious bodies, problems of finance,
questions concerning the extension of
the ministry and the propagation of
our faith at home and abroad, would
all find their solution facilitated in
the presence of this spiritual power.
My time is gone. 1 leave it to you,
my brethren, and toycur ripened
Christian judgment, whether we shall
find satisfactory settlement of these
and any difficulties that may pre
sent themselves to our cons dera
tion, on any other basis than the
spiritual one which your pr< acher has
very imperfectly presented to you.
A final wotd of encouragement.
We have the word of our Master for
our comfort.— a word which has
comforted and cheered the church in
many a dark period of her history:
“Lo, I am with you always, even unto
the end of the world.” May he so
baptize us in bis spirit of love that
we may today in this solemn hour
give ourselves anew to his service.
May he inspire us with that holy
earnestness which shall show iteelf,
not in occasional acts of service, but
in the entire consecration of our lives,
which shall make it evident to all the
world by our fidelity as Christian
teachers and laborers that one is our
Master, even Christ. For the world’s
sake, above all for the Master’s sake,
let us go forth conquering and to
conquer in the might of that glorious
spirit which dtscended upon the
early church.