The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-10-09
in turning away every one of you from his

in turning away every one of you from his
sin -
That is to say, we are bound to the work of
missions because of Gods love, the author
ity of Jesus Christ, and the evil of sin. And
the faith which holds these great truths be-
fore mems minds presents to them the true
missionary motive.
The divine love for man is the deepest
and strongest motive to missionary effort
because it arouses that sentiment in mans
heart out of which alone can come the mis-
sionary zeal and works.
Follow back the sentiment which has given
birth to the mission work, in modern or in
ancient times, and it is always and every
where the love of souls, and desire that
they share the love of God.
Now that is Universalsm. 1t is the belief
that God loves the world, rules it by love,
saves it by love- And if Universalism teaches
the doctrine which has underlain all the mis-
sionary work since Paul preached in Cyprus,
Universalism must be the true missionary
motive
But there is another motive It is that
which grows out of Christ's authority. The
church everywhere has held to the duty of
obeying Christ's command Now it is the
blessed teaching of this faith that the only
way to salvation is through obedience to the
words and the name of Jesus Christ Uni
versalism is not the doctrine that all men are
to be saved " anyhow" It is the doctrine
that they are to be saved somehow; 1. e., by
the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ
And that gospel is to be presented through
and by men to their fellow men So that
there is no need of going farther than the
simple word of Jesus the Christ, to go and
make disciples of all the world.
But there is another motive and that lies
in the fact that the whole creation is groan-
ing and travaileth in pain under the curse of
sin. 1t has been the teaching of Universal
ism that there was good and sufficient reason
for carrying the gospel to the world, in the
fact that the world is still in its sins. Here
is the answer to those who still ask US, as they
asked our fathers, "Why preach the gospel if
your faith be true?' 1t is a sufficient reply to
say, because sin is state of misery from
which every impulse of love prompts US to
save ourselves and our fellow men There
is no hell but sin. And sin is present hell.
And the need is far more urgent to deliver
men from a present evil than to plan against
a prospective one.
DR.. Ryder was the last speaker, and
although commencing his address after
nine o'clock, held the large congrega-
ton spell bound for nearly half an hour,
in illustrating wherein Universalism
holds precedence as a doctrine afford
ing encouragement and inspiration for
true character building. 1t is not only
the true basis of character, but the ba-
sis of true Christian character. DR..
Ryder believed that Universalism
tended to produce the best men and
women. The doctrine that man was
answerable for the sins of his fathers
he abhorred and detested. The Uni
versalist doctrine, being Numerically
opposite to this view, was calculated
to encourage and cheer up any one dis
posed to live righteous life. A Wig
orous exhortation to the religious life,
and advice to young people to choose
early their religious home, closed the adj
ress. 1t was in the best sense demon
national address, yet entirely catholic
in tone and spirit.
1t was 10 O'Clock before the congre-
cation dispersed, all exceedingly graft
fed by the exercises of the evening. In
all respects the Platform Meeting was
signal success. Many in the congre-
cation heard for the first time our doc
trines epunciated, and the impression
must have been Of the most whole
some order.