The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-12-18

[The word of God is quick, and powerful.
and sharper than any two-edged sword pierre
ing even to the dividing asunder of soul and
spirit, and of the joints and marrow, ana is
discerner of the thoughts and interests OF the
heart. Hebrews w. III
These words represent the spirit and
purport of what shall have to say at
this time. My theme is 1.-THE Univers-
alist Doctrine of Judgment" One OF
the chief objections which we urge
against the common doctrine of gen.
eral judgment after death, rs that it
possesses no element of vital truth. 1t
is a mere dogma relating to another
world, and appealing to imagination
and fear, so far as it is believed. But
it does not touch the moral nature, nor
quicken the conscience. We need
Judgment that shall be something more
than a finger-board to future retribu-
ton; that shall go down among the
facts of mans moral consciousness,
awaken a sense of sin and lead to re-
pentance.
When Nathan said to David, "Thou
art the man," the culprit stood self
accused. There was power in these
few words of the prophet, because they
appealed directly to the inner conscious
ness of the king. Suppose Nathan had
taken the position of some of our mod
ern theologians, and had said: 80 king,
you are great sinner; but God does
not punish sin in this world. He has
suspended his justice here in order to
give scope for the exercise of his mercy.
But there is fearful day Of reckoning
after death 1 warn you to escape from
that" Would not this have seemed to
David as trihing with his moral convic-
lions He knew that there was a
Judgment and retribution near at
hand. He felt it in his own conscience,
and before the bar of conscience he
huod condemned. 1t only needed the
prophets words to sanction and make
more potent the voice of the inward
accuser and judge. In the light of the
simple and apt parable which the
prophet had so skillfully devised, the
great king of Israel saw more clearly
the enormity of his sin, and he exclaim-
ed, 81 have sinned have sinned %
Thus the moral nature Of man is ever
on the side of the prophet who accuses
him of his guilt. The earnest preacher
Of righteousness has this advantage;
he does not have to make head against
mans moral convictions, but along
with them as his allies. He tells men
truths of which they themselves are
conscious, and when, with the sword of
the living word, he lays bare the
thoughts and intents of the heart,
the voice within affirms every word Of
his utterance. Often do men say when
the truth comes home to them THAT
meant me. take every word OF that"
Others carry the conviction in silence
and work out therefrom the fruits of ref
ormation. Character also judges men.
The pure presence of Christ made Peter
say: depart from me, for am sim
full man, o Lord"
1t has been laid to our charge as Uni
versalists, that we make too light
matter of sin. This is mistake, and
I suppose it grows out of the fact that
we have always defended limited pen
atty for sin in opposition to our ortho-
dox friends, who affirm that the penalty
Is infinite. Sin, we say, is an act of
man; all mans acts are finite; there
fore sin is finite. And being finite, it
must have a finite or limited punish
ment. Only God and his grace are in
finite. Hence it is said in Scripture
'Where sin abounded grace did much
more abound that as sin hath reigned
unto death, even so might grace reign
through righteousness unto eternal life
by Jesus Christ our Lord"
Sin is a great and terrible evil, and
its consequences are indeed fearful.
But the divine grace abounds over and
above sin, so that it is limited and cir
cumscribed by the infinite grace, and
it is Gods purpose to destroy it. 1t is
said of Christ that he ''shall finish
trangression and make an end Of sin,
and bring in everlasting righteousness"
Sin is therefore limited and will finally
be brought to an end. If this is to
make light of sin, then the Scriptures
themselves make light of it, for they
declare the doctrine clearly and fully.
More than any other people do Uni
versalsts insist upon the certainty of
retribution. Our doctrine is a just pen
atty, a sure penalty, and benefcent
penalty. The just punishment vindi-
Gates the divine character, the certain
punishment deters from the commission
Of sin, and the consciousness that it is
inflicted in love wins the heart. 1t is
said that "God will by no means clear !
the guilty." and that Though hand join |
in hand the wicked shall not be unpun-
ished." 1t lis because sin is 80 dark and |
heinous thing that we do not wish to
see it slurred over by any doctrine of |
judgment that seems to give immunity |