Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-02-13
THE COMING CRURCH.

WHAT THE TIMEs WILL DEMAND OF Twill
The UNIvERsALIsT CHURCH MET TIE DE.
MASD-BEv. N. H. HARRIS IN HIS OLD pu1-
PIT IN BRATTLEBoRo.
Rev. and Mrs NJ. H. Harris Of Worees.
ter, Mass, formerly Of Brattleboro. have re-
ceived warm welcome from their friends
and former Pensioners during their visit
mere the past week Last Sunday large con
gregauoDs we're present morning and even
ing, 10 listen to Mr. Harris at the Universal
ist church. In the evening the congregation
exceeded the seating capacity Of the church.
Inc morning sermon WAS from Isaiah Xvi 49,
the theme being The religion Of life.
The evening discourse was q lecture dis
cussing the theme lis the Universslist church
the one that should come. meeting the mani
fold necessities of the times, or must il give
place TO another having larger resources and
more willing spirit z" This enquiry Mr..
Harris directed toward q solution Of the
question whether the Universalist church has
IN II that genius Of religious Interpretation and
that adaptability to the religious demands of
the times which shall give spiritual freedom
to struggling souls and establish them in the
divine attitude of trust. The real test of
usefulness OF any religious body today is the
extent 10 which 1t leads it's mem beers aud man
kind at large along the path Of God with rev.
erence and growing peace. The preeminent
once OF the Universalist church in this age Of
religious tumult the speaker believed 10 be
that Of an interpre ter laboring in the inter
ests OF rational faith" Slowly the world
Is coming to q realization OF the great truth
that the genius of unity pervades the universe
IN things spiritual as well a. material The SCI
entists who, by patient research have sought
and found confirmation Of this central truth
In their province of material phenomena,
though branded as ''skeptics" and 'inhdes, -
have more real faith in the integrity Of the
law which organized the universe with IN
broken unity, than the Westminster assem-
bly, of divines ever had in Gods thought as
expressed in the tendencies and pravitations
of the soul of humanity. The scientific
method regards every new truth discovered
As part Of Gods universal truth, while the
theologiAns, so soon as what they thought 10
be new truth has been discovered. have
plucked It from its native soil refused to re-
gard 1t as common heritage Of mankind.
deprived 1t Of it's nourishment from the ev
erlasting fountains of God, and thus have
taken away it's vitality. For this reason II Is
that to-day, when the human mind seems TO
be regaining its lopg-lost power of self-ssser-
ton, these dry and hfeless figures of reli-
gious thought are falling around us. The
schools of theology have not seen God caring
for all his children rs though all were but
one, alike deserving his care but have seen
him rather Is lAboring with a special few in
certain detached provinces of what can hard
ly be called his kingdom, so persistently has
he deserted it in their thought. The story OF
the return OF Ulysses to claim his riphtful
heritage was told 10 illustrate the returning
sway OF reason in guiding the religious belief
and life of men.
The miseries that have been inflicted upon
men in past ages in the name of religion can
never be repeated, but while this is true there
Is more positive work to be Accomplished
in establishing the life of the people in a "a
tional faith. i the Universalist church fitted
and ready TO take up that work and 90 for
ward with 1t On the answer to this ones
ton rests the right of the church to expect a
permanent existence. That church has been
a courageous pioneer in expanding the bor
ders Of religious faith, but it's onward march
has not always been without opposition in lis
own household When Hosea Ballou an.
nouneed his views on the atonement il was 70
the distress not alone Of the evangelical folk.
Once after the young preacher had proclaim
ed his views in Father Murray's pulpit in mis-
absence, Mrs. Murray had notice given on the
spot that such we're not the doctrines usually
proclaimed from that desk. To day there
may be some who are panied at the sugRes-
ZION That there lie yet greater progress for the
church TO make as an interpreter of Gods
speaker said that its genius is such that il will
go forward TO broader field than it has vet
occupied, Is the church ready to declare the
way OF God open to all souls has il the dis
eernment TO see that all worshipful Spirits by
whatever name called, are looking heaven.
ward does it interpret the religious struggle
OF the world as the soul of man rising 10
obey the voice of God within it which In All
ages has been saying, "Child, give me thine
heart )" does it steadily affirm that in every
nation be that feareth God aud worketb
Righteousness is accepted of him? Just so
far as II goes forward to occupy this broad
ground and to help men to a development of
their spiritual natures, will it demonstrate its
right to exist. We must go forward TO this
other and yet grander outlook Of faith where
from We may see the world of humanity.
moved religlonsly by one common inspiring
breath Of God, and holding that place We
shall catch the echo of the early faith of the
church, when men like Justin MARTYR living
IN the bright presence Of the vivid memory
OF Jesus could say that Christ was the Eter.