Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-03-13

REV. T. E. ST. JOHN preached discourse
at the Universalist church, yesterday morning,
in reply to the discourse of Rev. Mr.. McKeown
in Washbum hall, the Sunday previous. MIR.
st. John took the same text, from the first epiSte
of Paul to Timothy, "JesuS Christ came into the
world to save sinners, of whom / am chief" He
began by saying that if the chief sinners were to
be saved, certainly all the others would be- As
the elimination of the triumph of the gospel, it
was asserted in the scriptures that every knee
should bow, throughout the whole earth, to
Christ, as the savior Of human souls, for the
provisions of the means of grace, of which all
were invited to partake, were as broad as the
hosts of humanity.
Mr.. st. John then proceeded to consider the
subject under three heads: list, have VIC u Saw
Jour; I'd, if so, from what does he save us; Sd,
how does he save us. The first point was uni
versally conceded by all Christians. On the
second point, if we look at theIscriptures Alright,
there would be found similar universally and
unanimity of opinion, that Christ came, not to
save us from an endless hell, but from our sins
there was no intimation anywhere that he was
to save us from anything else but from our sins,
from our evil and sinful ways, up to a better
and higher life and action. But supposing
that God had somewhere created a hell
to put human souls into forever, the
road to which was so broad, while the road
to heaven was so narrow, that but an intinitesi-
mally small proportion of the human race were
saved, how could it be claimed that the mission
of Christ upon earth was a successful one, if he
came to save souls from he'll, and accomplished
Of race, drop from his brow" on this consid-
Grafton, and his mission be deemed a total fail
ure? His work could not be complete until the
vaults of the "bottomless pitt were all emptied
Of their "wailing and crashing" victims.
The speaker next proceeded to consider the
comparative efficacy of the doctrine of endless
torments, and of the doctrine of final redemp-
ton from sin and error, toward inducing men to
pursue a correct Christian life, claiming that
nine-tenths of our criminals were believers in an
endless hell, but it did not restrain them from
crime, while an opposite faith, appealing to the
better natures and higher hopes of human be-
ings, instead of to their fears by threatening,
&C., would have been infinitely more successful
in reforming them or keeping them from crmi-
nal acts.
The speaker, under the third head consd-
cred the true nature of Christian salvation and
the means by which it is to be done, Paul says,
Christ came to redeem us from all iniquity, and
make us jealous for good WORKS. He tells us
the love of God overcometh every theory.
Christ instead of being the scape goat of human
guilt, was the great high priest of our saliva
ton. The golden rule which he inCulcated
was not belief in a sacrifcal theology, but to
Glove God with all thy heart and thy neighbor
as myself" The carrying out of this principle
would rcgenerate and redeem the whole human
race. 1t was for this he came, by the enforce
ment of higher rule of life and action, the
lifting of us up by the indwelling of his love
within us, to save us from the inclination or de-
sire to do that which aienates us from God,
This was the grand central point of the Chris
tian faith, so to bring all sinners to the knowl-
edge of the truth, as to purify, redeem and bless
the race.