The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-07-24


ten that all men have their "angel side,"
that
SIN all there is an inner depth,
far-of secret way,
Where thro dim windows of the soul
God sends his smiling ray.
In every human breast there is
A youthful sounding chord
That may be struck unknown to US
By some sweet, loving word.
The hayward heart in vain may try
Its softer thoughts to hide,
Some unexpected tone reveals
1t has it's angel side."
1t is said that particular sinner is
bad, irretrievably and Incidentally bad,
but is the person SO speaking authorized
in pronouncing such verdict? Has he
tested the matter sufficiently to warrant
the conclusion? Is it not possible that
his own patience has given out, and that
he has not enough Of the spirit of the
gospel, or is not sufficiently interested to
make full and complete experiment in
the case? These matters all need consid-
Grafton before verdict is pronounced.
The redeemableness of humanity, even in
this life, is growing sentiment among
the most active and progressive Christian
workers. In the last analysis of human
ity there is only very small margin for
hopeless cases" in this world and there
are no such cases in the next.
AUSTIN BIERBowER, of this city,
whose articles occasionally appear in the
UmaversaTst Qaarterly. is the author of
this clever paraphrase of the doctrine of
the agnostic evolutionists. It runs almost
irreverently along the line of an ancient
creed of the Christian church, but will be
pardoned on account of it's original and
strictly scientific" manner:
II believe in the chaotic nebula. self-exist-
ent evolver of heaven and earth, and in the
differentiation of its original homogeneous
mass, its first begotten product, which was
self formed into separate worlds, divided
into land and water, self organized into plants
and animals, reproduced in like species, fur
Their developed into higher orders, and finally
refined, rationalized and perfected in man.
He descended from the monkey, assembled
to the philosopher, and stitch down in rites
and customs of civilization under the laws of
a developing sociology. From thence he
shall come again, by the disintegration of the
eliminated heterogeneousness, back to the
original homogeneousness of chaos. l be-
lieve in the wholly unknowable absolute, the
wholly uncatholc church, the disunion of the
saints, the survival of the fittest, the persist
ence of force, the dispersion of the body, and
in death everlasting"
The Boston Herald wickedly suggests
that this creed might be properly adopted
by the agnostics and the Free Religious
Associations. 1t certainly embodies the
fundamental articles of the present ag-
nostic and scientific" belief.
1t was once said to Frederick Will
lam Robertson that he was in sure way
to suffer for his bold advocacy of the
right. MADAM" he replied, 81 don't
care" "Do you know, sir, to what Don't
Care comes?" "Yes, madam; Don't Care
was crucifed on Calvary between two
thieves" The answer and example as
given by Robertson are well enough as
he used them. But they are liable to
mislead. A careless and Indifferent habit
of mind is not profitable even in the ad-
vocacy of good cause. 1t is only when
our convictions are established and based
on principles that are enduring and sure
to triumph in the end, that we can afford
to become Indifferent as to present re-
suits. Even then the "Don't Care" spirit
is dangerous as savoring more or less of
brayado. A serene confidence in the ul-
innate triumph of truth and the martyrs
disregard of present consequences are not
very happily expressed by this formula.
THE present moment" says James
Freeman Clarke, in"Every Day Religion"
sis the element of real life, and all doubts
of future life will cease when we have
eternal life abiding in us here" 1t is
the want of this consciousness of eternal |
pfc as present possession of the soul J