The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-11-13
editorial 8riefs.
BY REV. 1. M. ATWOOD, D. D.
Canton, N. VI

l
ever proclaimed Men were made to
glorify God and enjoy him forevers yet
he affixes such conditions to the attain
ment OF this end as to render it certain
that the greater part of mankind will in
fallibly miss it. Every attempt to deten a
this dogma is direct affront to reason
10 say, for example, that all those who.
perish, have only themselves to blame.
is cruel injustice. The truth is that
not one soul can be found so willful-.
ly wicked that just Judge would say
he is wholly responsible for his failure.
1t may be said with justice that some,
responsibility for his fate lies with each,
one; but to charge it all on him, consid-
ering the disparity between him and his,
Maker is monstrous. The doctrine must
give way-is giving way Our brethren
who think they are championing religion
by rallying to the defense of this obso--
lete theological fiction, little understand
what they are doing. They are degrading
Christianity below Paganism and making
skepticism duty.
If the letter of the Andover creed
were pressed to a strict construction,
as we suppose it must be in law, it is an
interesting question, What professors in
that or any other seminary could abide
the test? The investigation is absurdly
narrowed when five of the present pro-
fessors are singled out. Was DIR. Park
able to subscribe that creed without
mental reservation? Could DR.. Phelps
honestly say he believed all those propo-
sitions? Has there been a man in An
dover for forty years who has conformed
his teaching rigidly to that creed? Why.
DIR. Dexter, chief among the prosecutors,
has not throat Of sufficient capacity to-.
swallow the Andover creed, without first
dissolving it in his own editorial rhetoric.
The testimony of the last class grad
uated at Andover that the charges pre-
ferred against the professors "are false"
will not weigh with the count, as it may
very well be doubted whether the young
gentlemen would have the respect and
affection for their instructors they now
have if these Christian scholars had
taught them the Andover creed. ButiS
must have weight in determining the
honor and sincerity of the professors.
The charge of disingenuousness and of
paltering in double sense in order 10
draw their salaries, Is what has tonobaa
the students.
The venerable pastor of the "Brick
Church" In Rochester, N. Y, has preach
ed sermon on the new heresy of a Sec
ond probation, in which he discovers a.
stronger desire to solve the great difficulty,
than to defend the orthodox position,
DR.. Shaw's temper in the discussion is
worthy OF all praise. He feels and con-
fessed che embarrassment with which the
"no-future probation" dogma is encum-
bered. He comes very close to solution
OF the question by taking the solid posi-
ton, that God is actually the Father of
mankind and that he is sure to do m ore
rather than less than the best earthly
father would do for his child's welfare.
On this basis DIR. Shaw reaches the con-
clusion that only those will be "finalIy
lost" who deliberately reject saliva ton.
Well, this is progress.
The Cumberland Presbyterian, a fter
quoting our statement of the PREMISE of
Orthodovv ond 0f TIn;uaraoI;cro .o.,.oI
lively, remarks: Cumberland Presbyterians
unite these two premises. Men are made
to be saved and yet they are fallen and
in danger Of eternal loss. -. The differ
ence is not as to what men were made
for, but what they are actually to come
to-" Our contemporary does not unite
the two premises; it only shows that they
are incapable of being united. If the
premises of Orthodoxy be true those Of
Univeralism are not true and conversely.
To say that men are made to be saved
is not, logically, to say that they will be
saved; but, morally and essentially, that
is implied. On the other hand, to say
that ''they are in danger of eternal lose,''
is to say that they are not made to be-
saved. Why affirm that men are in dan
ger of eternal loss"? That is something
that it will require eternity to show. No.
one is authorized to make any such affir-
nation. What we know is, that men are
in danger of loss, and that the loss will
continue as long as the evil course is per-
sisted in. The fact that wrong doing in
wolves loss shows that men were made TO
do right-to be saved. IT they could go
on in evil forever that would seem to
prove that they were made, not to be
saved but to be lost.
One danger threatens parties and
churches alike-that of mistaking the ex-
istence of the organization for it's ends.
The only reason for its existence is the
end it subserves. If it ceases to promote.
the end for which it was instituted its ex-
istence is not desirable. This is plain
enough. But there are plenty of man
ayers, religious as we'll as political, who
congratulate themselves when they have
produced "harmony" between factions, as
if they had accomplished the supreme OBJ
leet. They may keep the organization
alive little longer by such devices; but
the deeper and truer question always re-