The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-08-28

viii. 81.
Ii Universaiism be true, what is the
use of preaching it If it is Gods
purpose to save all men. what is the
use Of believing it ? If finally all man
kind shall enter heaven, what is the
use of religious faith upon the earth ?
The question may be variously stated,
implying, in whatever terms, that in the
mind of the interrogation there is no use
of preaching any doctrine which does
not include the infinite hazard of the
soul and that the preaching of Uni
versalism, even if it were proved to be
true, is an absurdity. The theory ev-
identity is that truth is valuable only
when it involves fearful threatenings;
that il the belief Of it will not save
from endless burning it is worthless;
that doctrine Of love, of universal
love, is wholly inefficient ard without
avail in human experiences. The preach
ing of possible deliverance from hell is
supposed to be profitable that of Ger
tain final deliverance from evil to be
Improbable. To proclaim that Gods
wrath is fierce and flaming and ever
enduring: men suppose has virtue; to
proclaim glad tidings of good to every
creature is believed to be proitless.
What is the use Of believing truth here
if it will not make one better off, say
ten Thousand years hence And we
might ask, what is the use of struggle,
and toll, and care, and economy, and
accumulation now, IL it will be all the
same hundred years hence
But without present reference to OPP
posite sentiments, and even without
discussion Of an absurdity in the con-
struction Of the question with which
we started, for the truth ought to be
preached because it is truth, will at
tempt to reply with candor and in
liberal spirit. If Universalism be true,
whats is the use Of preaching it? The
doctrine so named is not single idea,
but a series-pot line Of truth, but
full orb. Some would explain it as
teaching that all mankind will be saved,
whether or no; that men will go to
heaven in their sins that it makes no
difference with man how he lives upon
the earth. But all guch silly state
ments are wholly opposite to its sub
stance as well as its form. 1t is based
upon apostolic and Christian sentiment.
There is only one God, even the Father.
He is love; he affliets and cbastens,
net for his own pleasure, not to crafty
willfulness and love Of power, but to
make US partakers of ,his holiness. In
the exercise Of his divine prerogatiyes
be is not a respecter Of persons, but
permits no escape from needful and
righteous penalty. His justice and
mercy are never at variance, both being
modes of his love; but while the former
rewards and Furnishes, the latter recov-
ers. He has purposed to save all men,
not from deserved punishment, but
from ignorance and fear and sin, while
he restraints by disciplinary law. He
has willed the knowledge and sanctifi-
cation of all human souls and provided
means for the fulfillment of his will.
He sent the Son to be the Saviour of the
world, and by him, through the opera
ton of the holy spirit, grace shall uni
versally reign through righteousness
unto endless life. There will be in the
fullness of time reconciliation Of the
world to God. He will wipe away all
tears from their eyes there shall be no
more death, neither sorrow cor crying,
neither shall there be any more pain,
for the former things have passed away.
Now if all this be true, what is the use
of preaching, of believing it?
l. 1t gives trust in God. Whatever
men may say, they cannot adequately
trust in being whose power and wis
dom and love, or either attribute, are
defective. The experiences Of the
world are often mysterious, the incl
dents of life and time do not always
seem harmonious with benefcent pur-
poses, our hearts are panied by the rift
ing of social and family ties, History
is sometimes calamatous. There is no
solution of the mysteries of life On this
side of death. If our souls shall be-
come peaceful and trustful, il they shall
have that perfect confidence which is
called faith, we must look beyond the
vail for its foundation. l desire this
implicit faith and trust; how shall
attain it BY accepting the opinion
that the Supreme Ruler is vacillating
in his love? That his grace and mercy
are contingent upon my own infrmIty?
That endless life depends upon the I'M
certainty that shall be in proper
frame of mind at a moment which may
come to me unexpectedly That God
will be to all eternity unloving and un-
kind to large part of the human fam
lily, Of which may be one ? That his
goodness and mercy are different in
quality from what we 80 call among
men, and may be what we call wicked
ness and cruelty? That his feeling to-
ward me in any possible event will diff |