The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-11-03

tNSuAuE'
NATIONAL UNITARIAN CoNVEN-
TIoN.-There has been for some years
a growing feeling among Unitarians
of the need of a more thorough
organization and earnest missionary
spirit, for their denominations pros
perity-that they were too contented
with their reputation for practical
charities, social and intellectual cul-
tuFe, and not sufficiently engaged in
active c6-operatiye effort FOR the
spread of their convictions. This
feeling developed into a National
Unitarian Conyention, composed OF
delegates from all the churches OF the
denomination, the first of the kind
that had ever taken place in the coun-
try, which was held one year ago IN II,
the city of New York, 1t was III al
particulars an eminent success ana
demonstrated the fact that freedom OF
thought in religion and an elective
organized AFOREMENTIONED spirit are
not essentially discordant to each
other.
The first annual session of this
Convention occurred the 9th inst, in
Syracuse, N. Y. 1t was very largely
attended, and an occasion Of great in
terest 10 all present, fitting sue
cessor 10 It's initiation year before.
The opening services were conducted
by Rev. DIR. Il. I'll. Hedge, Of Harvard
Divinity School, who preached ser
mon on the Historic Atonement,
which was marked by the rich and
vigorous philosophical acumen, terse.
ness of expression and rhetorical
finish which are the usual character
istics of the Doctors productions.
The sermon might have been called a
sermon of reconciliations, 1T was an
attempt TO present philosophy of re-
ligi0n adapted to the existing cOndi-
ti0ns of advanced religious thought.
IL touched upon the following point.
The reconciliation between Natural
ism and Supernaturalism, showing
that their separation Is technicalrather
than real that they inter penetrate
each other; that no line is to be
drawn between them, for other reason
than convenience; that they are one
and the same. The reconciliation
between God and man, that they do
not dwell apart. in different spheres,
but together, in intimate and involved
relations. .iH olfaa alAl eAf
And as the greater include the less.
the reconciliation between such anti
theses as temporal and spiritual--the
Church aud the world, The genius of
Christianity, said the preacher, lis
wholly adverse 10 such separations.
While ii sanctifes the world, it sec
ularizes the Church, and looks to the
doing away of all distinctions between
the two" The true Church is So
ciety Informed by the Spirit of God;
the true religion il the health of the
spirit manifest Ia healthy and benefi-
cent action" 81
AtOnement will not be complete
until the destruction of sacred and
profane, temporal and spiritual, bust
ness and religion The Church and
world is practically neutralized until
these dislocations of human nature
are. healed. these severed parts and
processes atoaed Ia one undivided and
and absolute life,
The reconciliation between mortal
and immortal, earth and heaven in
the local sense of those terms. 1.-THE
last enemy that shall be put under is
DEATH The apostle had q vision of
state in which dying should be no
more" The popular belief transfers
that state from this human earth to
some unknown region beyond, and
Christians talk of going 10 heaven
IN the same way the ancients talked of
going 70 the place of departed souls,
with this exception, that the going i'm
the one case is a going up, in the 9th
or was going down. a asis
"A home and kingdom in space
for the departed must be assigned
them. see no reason for surprising
any other than their native planet;
for, surprising that planetary attrac-
tons ceases with the dissolution of
animal frame, it aceords with reason
TO supposeithat the future body is con-
substantial with this. that the most
ETHEREAL of earthly elements NAV con-
stitute its substance, The opposition
of science and religion, the doctor
held, to be "diserepanee of method
rather than eontrarily of aim
Both are ministers, of social we'll
being, and thefore congenials in the
work Of atonement. The sermon
I, contained a very eloquent allusion to
the great achievement of the year.
.a'the coupling of the hemispheres by
bands Of electrical communication
beneath the sea, happy censumation
! which brings ceristendom ieto closer
7 fellowship, "Glory to God on high
est; ON earth peace and good will to
men" be its fruit.
METHODIST.