The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-12-18
WITHOUT REPRE-
SENTATION."

SENTATION."
Gail Hamilton comes again to the
front in trenchant and characteristic
article in the North american Reviesp
for December, with some sharp crit
icisms of orthodox theologians, and their
deliverances, in view of the Andover
New Departure. The article is entitled,
'Heathendom and Christianity under
Test" and the design of the writer is
to show that in some important matters
affecting the private virtues of the So
called heather, and their honest and
thrifty administration of domestic re-
spOnsibilities, the said heathen-the
Chinese for example superior to
many who live under Christian influ-
ence. In the beginning of her paper,
and while leading up to this contention,
Gail Hamilton passes in review very in
teresting correspondence between Rev.
Prof. Phelps, Of Andover, and Rev. DR..
siOnary and it is in this part of the
article that the writer discusses the
theological problem of the fate of the
heather, and INDUCES in her sharpest
observations on the current topic. The
caustic writer acknowledges that she
has not been asked to take part in this
discussion. But" she remarks in ex-
tenuation of her position, 81 am very
much interested in the heather world.
at has long seemed to me that Christen-
'dom is rather pushing the heather to
''the wall. We consign them to perdi-
''tion without ever hearing their side of
"the case. 1t is not American that we
''should have damnation without repre-
"sentation."
In this last sentence we have the key
to Gail Hamilton's interest in the
heather. She proposes to have some
thing to say in favor of the benighted
myriads who pass under that name,
even at the risk of being considered a
Devils Advocate" by those who are
popularity styled orthodox" 1t is a
humane ambition which prompts to
this advocacy of the heather, and that
has something to say in behalf of the
multitudes who cannot speak for them
selves and protest against their whole
sale damnatioA under the creed of those
who are supposed to represent the CIV
iliZed nations of the earth. If the ''test"
which the writer proposes does not
carry entire conviction, if the orthodox
world demand in the case of the heather
more decisive statement of their SUI
periority over Christians than that which
comes from the fact that the Chinese
make more conscientious servants than
do the Catholic Irish, and those of Prot
estant antecedents, the failure must be
referred to the unwise choice of the
standpoint from which to attack ortho-
dox civilization, and not to any want of
appreciation Of the inherent virtues of
heather character, unenlightened by
missionary effort.
But the point which Gail Hamilton
makes in regard to the correspondence
between the two eminent divines al
ready named, is much more successful
than her effort to put in contrast
the domestic virtues of heather and
Christian servants. Itappears that Drs.
Phelps and Hamlin are of belief that
the heather have light enough from
nature and the intuitions of the human
conscience, to fulfill all the require
ments of salvation without the direct
offer of the gospel through Christ-that
this, in fact, constitutes the ground
work of just and benevolent proba-
tion." AS Gail Hamilton epitomizes
the view of these divines, natural relig-
ion, as seen in the phenomena of the
material universe, and the revelation of
God in the heather soul, makes fair
"trial. If men are not saved under it,
''their own is the fault. God is under
''no obligation do anything more for
''them. He is not bound to reveal to
"them, in addition, Christ. If God
provides such knowledge, it is a free
''gift. 1t is over and above what they
deserve therefore, though the masses
''of mankind do go into eternity with
out knowledge of Christ, and will