The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-14

what they exclude the Universalist Church from
the Evangelical Alliance, and their creeds are
printed just as they were fifty years ago, and
nine out of ten of their preachers preach Just as
their grandfathers preached, so far they say
anything about God, man, duty and destiny
Mere absence OF dOctrinal preaching Is no eNl-
dence of liberality in faith for the preacher who
has really changed his faith to be more liberal
wants all the world to know it. This sOcalled
Hberality consists in the fact that few liberal
souls, standing in orthodox pulpits, and unable
to get out, are making desperate efforts to patch
the defects of orthodoxy with pieces taken out
of Universalism; and occasionally we find in
their pews an exceedingly generous Universalist
brother who is so lavish with the five talents
committed to him by the Master that he is will
ing, not only to furnish the patches but to help
put them on. ALI these churches, as SUCH
predicate their system of belief on the
fall of man. the 'vicarious attonement and
the future punishment of the wicked" By
the fall of man they mean that, by the disobedi-
ence of Adam, before he knew good from evil
all OF his poSterlty became so wicked, even be-
fore they were born, as to fifty deserve death in
this life and unending torrents in the life to
come. By the viearious atonement they mean
that Gods wrath was great on account OF
mans sin. that nothing short of infinite suffer
ing could satiate his thirst for vengeance; and
that Jesus, having more love for humanity than
God had consented to suffer in mans stead to
the end that Gods wrath should be appeased
and mans salvation from unending torment
wicked they mean, that those of mankind who
leave this life without having experienced GER
tain changes and performed certain conditions
prescribed by the church, will in the future life
experience punishment of some kind as lasting
as immortality. These doctrines have ever
BEEN and still are, the very basis of the socalled
orthodoxy, both old and new; and take anyone
of these doctrines out, and the system falls.
These doctrines have nothing in common with
Universalism, and it has nothing in common
with them; and any attempts to blend the two
faiths IN one heart is like tearing new garment
to mend an old one.
Outside of these orthodox churches, and in
some instances nOminally the inside, and
in full sympathy with Christianity is a large
and intelligent element of society which
can never be converted to orthodoxy. This ele-
ment is made up of men and women who hunger
and thirst after righteousness, but who have no
respect for God who does not control all things
for good; no use for Savior who does not teach
a holiness higher than the civil law, and no de-
sire to live in a heaven from which their loved
ones are excluded To organize this element
into living church, and make it a great power
in the world for good is the work of the Uni
versalist Church. These men and women want
something more than a mere sentiment; they
want system of truth, and real church home,
in which they may grow in grace and in the
knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ 1t is not
enough to send them a lecturer who can con
flute orthodoxy and show them the beauties of
science. Refutation of error and display of
uluCu learning VIII uOG supply Un6 want OF 4
church home If we send these men and women
into the pews of those few preachers who are
striving to patch orthodoxy with universalsm.
they will see the rent in the new garment, and
that the piece taken out 'agreeth not with the
old;' and while they might admire the skill of
him who does the patching, still they will not
find church home. 1t is our work as church,
to build in the world large and commodious
spiritual home, in which all who believe in one
God, oneduty and one destiny may come and find
rest unto their souls, In that home there must
be, not only pulpit and pew, but also an altar
of devotion; and around that altar we must
plight our vows and commune with our Father
in heaven and to that altar must come foI
strength, when earth hath lost her charms and
the heart-strings are ready to be broken.
In our relations with our neighhor churches,
we will ever maintain the kindest feeling, and a
| willingness to aid them and receive their aid in
| every good work; but the time has fully come
when the world should feel that the Universalist
| Church has the right to stand side by side with
| other Christian churches in the work of saving
and blessing humanity. 1t has system com
pete within itself, peculiarly fitted to do work
which no other church can do. If it is not the
church of the future, it will be one of the
churches of the future; and its work will ever be
| distnctively Christian work 1t will never be
| blended either in faith or method, with ortho
| doXy s'old' or new AS a church, it is time
| for us to feel that the Lord has given us work
| TO do, and that the world needs the result OF
that work. Ours is higher and better coneep
| ton of God man, duty and destiny, and God
will not hold us guiltless if we sit idle and wait
for others to do the work committed to us. Never
| before any people. was there a more inviting
and abundant harvest than is before us now; and
our neighbor churches will respect US more and
love us better just in proportion as!Asgather IN
the sheaves re