National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-09-13


vBRsALI,T DENOMINATION BskN n
so mUUH sI.OwR. THAN THAT OF
THE MKTrODisTt
BY REV. Z. n. FAY. |,
The Methodist denomination reached the ,
hundrcdth year Of It's existence In America
in 1885, and very properly celebrated its I
Centennial anniversary. The religious record ,
Il made during the first century Of its exist
encc was truly grand, aud worthy Of COM
memoration. Onc hundred years ago II ap-
pcarcd as clcudlct--
Little as human hand; y ~
Now Il spreads along the stie-, e. v
Hangs DER all the thirty landi"
No other Christian sect whose history we
recall made such rapid advancemeuts- Rising
In single century from germinal state to
the hrst position, rs II RESPECTS numbers,
among the denominations Of our country,
and welding to-day an influence as potent rs
II was honorably won.
The Unlversalist denomination attained TO
| Its one hundrcdth birthday In 1870, only four
years later. This anniversary was celebrated
with much enthusiasm ct Gloucester, Mas,
In September Of tnat year. Probably few
assemblages OF religious character more
| numerous or respectable, ever met on these |
shores. Besides this great convocation,
measures were adopted TO utilize the Interest |
1 III
I among these measures was one which pro- |
1 posed raising = fund, whoec income should |
be perpetually devoted to the diffusion Of the |
faith so precious TO all universalists. The |
fruitagc Of this measure Is already ripenlpg |
In several fields Of denominatioual action, aud
In various quarters Of our land.
When we compare the latest statistics Of
the aforementioned sects, VIC meet the fact
that the one first named In this article far
outstrips the other In outward growth. How
shall We account for this disparity Shall
we draw the hasty inference that the most
thrifty was inspired by the Holy Spirit, while
the other had no better nourishment than
this world could give III We believe that
any attempt 10 account for tho degree OF
success the Uniyersalist denomination has
achieved, which ignored al Divine AID, would
prove failure. The W dom Of this world
. meyer did, and never can, originate re-
ligfous sect and so nourish 1t for century
as TO give II steady progress and q constantly
! increasing influence. Such religious growth
. rs this sect exhibits--thouyh far less rank
Q than that Of the Methodist II has, nevcrtho-
less, been Of no common order--must have rc-
. ceiyed Its vitalizing spirit from Divine
u source. Its roots must strike down into the
n deep, rich soil Of eternal spiritual yeritics.
a IL Is quite time this truth was recognized by
|, all. In view Of the fac, that II grew through
!. the adverse vicissitudes Of an hundred years,
u and that Il now stands fresh and strong In
: the suspicious dawn Of Its second century,
l. who but those blinded by prejudice will cOn-
n tinuc to maintain that II Is either from the
= prentice hand" of man, or q counterfeit
y creation Of the devil, and not Of Godi =,
&c But II we admit Its higher origin, how shall
n we account for the fact already stated-that
n Its growth has been so much slower than that
m Of the Methodisti Various reasons explana-
I. tory Of this readily suggest themselves. Be
fore We proceed to marshal the more prom
.. lncnt Of these reasons, however, II may be
rail- A. INN min
II That our estimate Of institutions, as well n
a. Of things, ought not to be graduated TO the
rapidlty Of their growth. 1t may have taken
D. longer tirue to form the little diamond tina,
r sparkles upon the nngcr than the hugh boul
70 der whose bulk alone awakens interest. Ant
~ certainly history teaches that republican In
q. stitutions-rare gems Of mans social state
developed far less rapidly and rankly thar
'n monarchical systems. As rule, the durabl,
n things Of this world are Of slow promotion
r and things Of the highest value arc the pro
n ducts Of laboring centuries.
I. In q sense, the Methodist and Universal
" LIST denominations have common origin
C. The grand impulse which gave being v
Is both came from the heart. Mans affections
IT. long oppressed by the weight of cruel dogmas
'. satisfied him In the doctrine Of free saliva
~ ton; the uniyersalist, yearning for still
g, further comfort, found II In the doctrine of
he fall salvation. As the initial points Of thei
Is, origin differed somewhat, so their lines o
!. movement were diverse. The former, though
-. greeted with no favoring smile on the part o
" The older sets, soon allayed their fears ant
or disarmed their opposition by proclalminl
OF adherence to most of what were regarded Al
er the cardinal doctrines Of Christianity, viz
\ The 4 Trinity, the Atoncmcnt. Endles,
D. ?. Punishment and the dogma Of n per
" sonal Devil. All thls, on their part
was consistent, perhaps, with the log!,
H. Of the head II not with that of the heart. St
). with little to oppose II this earnest sect, i'm
- PEELED by love divine, and burning with dc
~ sire TO save impcriled souls, moved forward
CT on Its triumphant way:
C. The course Of the Universalist denomina.
r. ton was beset with far greater difficulties
,o The logic, both Of Its head and heart, 1901
~ arrayed 1t against many Of the rcvcred dog
kc mas Of the churches. The result Of this wa
iy that II brought down upon Its head sucl
he odium rs few other scots have had 10 bear
lat while, ut the same time, II provoked Opposl
~ ton on every side. Thus difficulties wer,
es multiplied which would naturally impede IL
" movement and heck Its growth. With thi
IS consideration In view II must appear as un
IS just, we think, TO every fair mind, to taunt ]
n, because II did not flourish like the Methodist
= as IL would be 10 blame one division of Al
VI army whose advance was lmpeded by fftl
ks thousand foes, because II did not move for
H. ward with rs much celebrity rs another o
by equal numbers opposed by only one thou
lo sand
2. We may find another reason for til,
no slower growth of this sect In the effects re
he fultiny 10 II from the continuous opposition
t. Il had TO encounter. II has been blamed fol-
ne the belligercnt attitude It assumed towart
T., other sccts. Was not this attitude forced
IN upon II by other sects, whose hands wer,
n everywhere against it9 When all are brought
cd to judgment II will appear, we apprehe -.
IS that with respect TO bclligercncy Of attitu :
an the uniyersalist has been more "sinn
=, against than SHINING" But, be this as Il may
III the result OF the warfare, SO far US this sec
re was concerned, was unfayorablc to religion,
n growth. Spiritual life circulatcs most frecl,
IL when love has disarmed cnmity, and Gael
:, man secs In every other brother and q
~ friend. All legitimate religious organisms ar,
nc Of intellect and ability In debate, but in pro
ne portion TO the life cure its Of love which cir
N culate through their veins. II Is q hopeful
= sign for this sect that Il has discovered III,
u mistake OF the past, and Is Is now training, b,
no methods both old and new, It's great spiritua
cd forces.
he 8. Again; A sect "everywhere spokel
=, against" has little attraction for two classe
' 10 be found In every community. II refer Il
70 those who "loye the praise OF men more thai
SO the praise Of God, !" and TO those who fear tn
III frowns Of man more than the disapprobatio
n. Of God. In Christ's day there were many VIII
l. dared not confess him "lcst they should b
NC put out Of the synagogue" And every az
DO since his time has had no small number o
of persons, who, II they were not base enoug
re 70 betray him for thirty pieces OF silver woul
ms be very likely to move In the well-worl
10 grooves Of life with sealed lips conccrnin
'n him, provided that TO own him Us their Lor
I'm would hazard their social position. Over thes
ais classes the Univcrsalist denomination exerte
ds no magnetic force. II repealed rather tina
.. attracted them; and SO Its ranks were not aug
=. mented by their enlistment under Its banner
I'd This cannot be accounted q misfortune eel
es tainly, for these can DO nothing but parasite
or on any religious body. We have sects In min
10. which, II Invested Of these, would suddenl
-, appear ''bednti|Illy less!"
ht L. We have room N name lint nna NOR