The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-10-23

DdCh"dIu' TOfmS are transient. Rrln-
ciples are permanent, Truth is imper-
lshable. 1t cannot die. "The eternal
years of God are bers." But beware you
do not underrate the value of the truth
you have received! Beware you do rot
undervalue the vantage ground of our po-
sition! We shall be judged by our light
and means Of light; and our light is very
great. Remember the words of "Him
who liveth, and is alive forevermore," to
the church in Sardie: "Thou hast a name
to live; but if thou shalt not watch will
come on thee as thief and thou shalt
not know what hour [ will come upon
thee' To do the work the Divine Provi-
dence has set US to do, three things are
required of us. If as a body we neglect
either one of them, our destruction is GER
tain.
First: 1t is required Of us that we be-
lieve that our work in " the Church Of
the living God is not man appointed.
1t is required that we believe that the
Spirit of God raised up John Murray,
trained him in a school of sorrowful ex-
periences and providentially set him 70
preaching the gospel of "glad tidings''
upon this continent and made it his life
work; that Winchester, the four Ballous,
the two Streeters, the three SINNERS,
Sawyer, Whittemore, Paige, Williamson,
and many others, were thus providen-
TALLY called" Each man in our minis
try to-day must believe that he is in the
ministry by the will of God, and set
there to do Gods work. The man who
does not believe all this has no business
il the ministry. The man vino does not
believe that God worketh in him to
will and to do OF his own good pleasure;''
who does not believe that be is "called"
to q special work, will do no good for
himself, for others, nor for God The
Fathers believed all this with respect TO
themselves and the work of the Lord
prospered in their hands. Ii the work
has for moment paused, and the vic
tories of the early days have not been
supplemented by victory after victory,
down to the present hour, the cause may
be traced to men who have not had this
measure of faith in their own special
appointment. Except the Lord
build the house, they labor in vain that
build it," Every workman, therefore,
should believe that he is employed by
the Lord, and is helping to build the
Lords House. The ministry is no place
for any work but Gods work; and our
pattern should be, in this respect, Jesus
Christ and his Apostles
Second: It is required of us that we
believe in and follow our Leader. Who
is our Leader? From whom are we re-
ceiving orders? The first battles of the
Rebellion were lost to the Union cause,
because there was no single leader in
command who was recognized and obeyed
by tho whole army. Some were for Mao
Clellan, some for Burnside, some for
Hooker and some for Grant. The result
was defeat. Victory came when one man
was put in supreme command. In the
early church, some were for Paul, some
for Apollos, some for Cephas, and some
for Christ; and the church was divided
But when Christ was recognized as the
only Leader having authority to com
mand, and lis banner the only banner to
follow, the church became irresistible.
Our Leader is Jesus Christ; and we must
receive our orders from him. His is the
only name given under heaven, or
known among men, whereby we can be
4 /, IL
our hope for the salvation of all men
Under his banner alone we must fight
our battle. We are not guerrillas, every
man fighting on his own account; but
We are trained soldiers, believing in sub
ordination to authority, and in leader
ship. As a matter of education, and nee
essary intelligence, we should know
something of the old religions and philos-
Ophies, and Of the modern sciences; but
as preachers of the Gospel we should
"know nothing but Jesus Christ and him
cruciied.' It IS well enough to know
something of Buddha, Confucius, and
other great men of the Geutlee, to know
something OF Darwin, Spencer, and other
great lights in modern science and litera-
ture; but no man will ever be saved by
following either one of these men. The
people do not want them in the pulpit
They want Christ. By eighteen hundred
years of victorious leadership he has
their confidence, and they will follow nc
other leader 81 aE the Good Shepherd
My sheep hear my voice and they follow