The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-07-17

There are three great theories as to the
future state of the wicked. One is that
of humiliation. This theory is that the
good and the bad alike go into the fut-
ure state, and that the bad are given a
certain amount of time, say thousand
years, to enter into the spiritual life.
But if they do not do so in that time,
they are annihilated or blotted out of
existence. A second theory is that with
which the world is, perhaps, the most
familiar, viz, endless punishment. Ac-
cording to this theory, no hope is given
to person beyond the grave. AS soon
as he dies his state is fixed. If he has
accepted the means of salvation that
were offered him while in this life, he
enters into an everlasting heaven; but
if he has neglected or spurned these
means, he is condemned to an everlast-
ing hell, there to suffer forever and
ever. God has turned against him,
and he never can obtain his forgiveness
and love again, no matter how much he
tries.
The third theory is that held by us,
that every soul will at length be re-
claimed. We believe that every person
goes into the next world just as he
leaves this, and that he carries his own
heaven and his own hell along with
him. There is to be no arbitrary judg-
ment or punishment in the next life,
any more than there is in this. One
will occupy just such position in that
new state as he has prepared himself
to. We look upon death as a thing of
mercy. TO the virtuous and spiritually
minded it will open larger life of de-
velopment and blessing. To the wicked
and earthly minded it will have a ten
dency to bring them to a consciousness
of their true condition. 1t will force
the truth upon them that they have not
lived as they should that they have
not made the use of their earthly life
the Creator intended and in this way
it will doubtless lead many to enter
upon the true life who never did so
while here on the earth. There will be
the same means of development and
progress there that there is here-that
is, contact of soul with soul. And 1
have an idea also that the saints of the
next world will labor even more faith
fully and successfully to reclaim the
sinful and fallen than do the saints of
this earth. This will be one thing that
will constitute the heaven of the next
world-that more benevolent, unselfsh
and diviner works will be done there
than here. People will BIZ reclaimed
there who could not be reclaimed here,
because the love Of this earth was not
sufficient for such great works. Now
if God should annihilate the wicked, or
shut them up in place all by them
selves, what would the saints have to
do in that blessed land? The saints
here on earth are those who minister to
those who are the most in need of their
1t is through the Ignorance
and sins of the earth that the noblest
qualities of man here on earth are made
to appear. And so, we may believe, will
it be there. More benevolent, more no.
BILE, more wondrous and blessed things,
will be done there than here. The ig-
norant and the sinful will always be
with us until we have made them
different and better. Do we
not see, then, how this theory of uni
versal salvation shuts US up to unself-
purity and goodness? We must
interest ourselves in those about us and
labor for their well-being, for we can
never shake ourselves free from them.
The Only way that we will ever rid our
selves of what is most disgusting and
repulsive to us in them is by making
them what we see they ought to be.
The same is true also respecting our
selves. The only way that we can free
ourselves from what is most hateful in
Us is to take upon ourselves the true
life. There is no possible escape from
a righteous life. The doctrine of ami
hilation and that of endless punishment
say that it is possible to escape from
such a life; that after certain time
the soul is either annihilated or con-
demned to suffer forever. On the other
hand, we claim that the soul cannot
be annihilated, neither does there ever
come a time when all hope is taken
away; but that God, out of his love,
will continue to labor for the salvation
Of his children until every one is brought
to acknowledge and serve him. 1t is
difficult to see how anything that is
can spring out of such doc
trine as this. We do not think it can.
It seems to me that there is something
immoral in the idea that man can ever
get beyond the love and control of God.
We have greater faith in Gods power
aud love than this. We believe that he
will reclaim every one.
This doctrine has been full OF COM
fort to men. 1t has brought cheer to
many sad heart. 1t is doctrine
which calls for the greatest faithful
ness at the present time. Men need to
have greater faith and hope in God