The Portland daily press., 1870-09-23
General Convention of UniversaIi-ts-
Centennial Celebration
GLOUCESTER, Mass, Sept q, 1870.
To the Editor of The Press.

GLOUCESTER, Mass, Sept. q, 1870.
10 the Editor of the Press:
| WEDNESDAY MORNING.
The Convention rea ssemb!ed in council at
| o'clock, in the Universalist Church. A re-
| port of the Committee on the Revision of the
Constitution was read by Rev, Dr. Brooks of
Philadelphia. The remainder of the morning
session was devoted to discussion of the Re-
port.
A Conference and Prayer meeting was held
n the Tent, at 8 clock, conducted by Rev. G.
S. Weaver of Lawrence, Mass. 1t was largely
attended, and was an occasion of great inter-
est.
AT 10 1-2 the Convention assembled in the
tent to listen to the occasional sermon by Rev.
DR.. Miner OF Boston.
The introductory services were conducted by
Rev. G. w. Quinby of Maiue Rev. J. q.
| Adams and Rev. Dr. Benjamin whfttemore NJ
| Mass.
The congregation entirely filled the immense
tent, and many were unable to get in at all.
The hymns were original, and were sung by
the audience under the lead of band.
THH OCCASIONAL SERMON.
|. 81 am Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and the end, the first and the last..' Rev. %:
10.
After greeting the audience in the name of
all the churches, the speaker proceeded to
speak of the great signifcance.o f the assurance
of the text that God was the ond as the begin.
ing of ALL All the lessons of Nature teach
that God is wise and good. Even the facts
which seem to conflict with this truth, do but
confirm it. The maladies which afiict society
are still among the instruments of human cul-
ture. God makes the virnlence of Nature not
less than the wrath of man to praise him, and
the remainder will he restrain. The Reyela-
ton recognizes but one aim in creation. Nor
is this at all at variance with the declarations of
Science. Huxley, Darwin, Spencer do but trace
the. dominion of love at best but few steps
further toward the Creator. The ultimate
questions of existence are beyond the realms
in which science can make afir nation and be-
lung TO faith alone
The majestic spe ctscle Of the universe was
created only by reason, for reason and in rea-
son. Thus We accept the declaration, "The
heavens declare the glory of God and the firm
ament showeth his handy work"
But while God speaks to us in nature, he
has not thus exhausted his revelations. God
has spoken to us as children and has shown
-
forth His grace.
From the beginning to the end the Reve-
lation declares the full grace and loving pur-
pose OF God The bruising of the serpent's
nead' the joyful prophecies foreshadowing the |
Time when tears shall be wiped from all faces,
the giving OF all up to Jesus Christ who should |
suodae all unto Himself and surrender all lat |
iength 10 God, indicate the one great purpose |
Vi 'he creator concerning the destiny of the
race. AS the sense of brotherhood deepens.
the reception of this faith becomes easier.
The faith of the early Christians was a geni-
al faith Until fifty years after the death of
John very little was said by the early teachers
regarding the destiny of the race but
when the final salvation of all was distinctlv
set forth by some of the Gnostic sects it was
not cordemned as heresy by the Church
althougC other of their tenets were. No one
of the writers up to this time of Tertullian ex.
pressed unequivocay beliefn the eternity
of punishment. During the ages succeeding
this the sadder views of human destiny pre-
vailed and continued to prevail almost uniyer-
sally until the period of the Reformation.
when the ancient faith of the Church was
revived, and Universalism again appeared
Inc speaker then traced briefly the history
Vi oniversalism, which was shown to have had
rauy eminent advocates before the time of
oonn murray who was spoken of as the Morn
ing star rising upou the darkness of Ameri.
eau tneoiesy. With Murray began an ORGAN.
lzed movement, which marks a nav orc 80
history OF onyersalism. Yet the early nro-
gress was exceedingly slow. In the wear 1soo
there wero but two societies and some four or
five preachers. In 1913 there were only TWEEN
ty-two preachers; at present we number six