The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-10-02

other two, to another one; to each according
to his ability Matt. XIV, ISL
A parable is "a representation OF
something real in life or nature, from
which a moral is drawn for instruction"
To teach the people by parallels was
the method practiced by Jesus. In the
parable of the talents he tells his hear
ers of man who called his servants to
him and entrusted to each one portion
of his property. The man is then repre-
sented to have gone on journey into a
foreign country. After time he re-
turned home and required his servants
to render an account of their steward
ship. To one servant five talents had
been entrusted !; he brought ten talents
to his master. Another had received
two talents, and accounted for four tai
ents. To another had been given the
care of one talent; he buried the talent
until his master returned and then
brought it to him, and expressed him.
Bull OlSSdViouCu WIFI LILO mnoeOl . Jus
mess habits. Very likely he was one
of those chronic fault finders who scold
everybody for their short comings, and
who never accomplish anything them
selves. However, the master is repre-
scented to have rewarded the servants
who proftably used their trust by CIV
ing them more important charges; but
the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS man he
punished by taking from him the one
talent he had refused to make use of,
and discharged him from the service.
This parable introduces us to an i'm
portant condition which is characteris-
tic of all forms of rational life. Every
person is peculiarly endowed as to prac'
tical ability, and each one is expected
to act accordingly. In human affairs.
each day is day of reckoning, requir-
ing of every person an account of his
stewardship. Fortunate is the man
whose prudent industry enables him to
give good report of the use he has made
of his talents. The profit gained in
ones enterprise is the best testimony
of faithfulness. We are not in this
world for idleness or for mere enjoy
ment; if the existing social conditions
are not what they should be, we ought
by honest labor in the direction of oul
natural endowment, to do those things
which will work reform wherever it is
needed.
An institution is but larger indi-
vidual. 1t represents the ability and
purpose to do specific work. Its char
acter, good or bad, is indicated by the
moral value of the work it does. The
relevant ideas and purposes held in
common by the persons who make W
an institution, may properly be said tc
be its talents.
We of this assembly represent the
Universalist church of Iowa. AS an
institution, we are great person, hav-
ing definite and distinctive thoughts
concerning religion, and a we'll defined
Christian purpose to carry out in our
capacity as a church. We feel the
weight of duties and responsibilities.
We have formally committed ourselves
to work for the worlds uplifting. To
attempt to achieve the mental and
moral salvation of mankind is our
avowed mission;-in promoting the
kingdom of heaven, consists our stew
ardship. This is noble and most i'm
portant work. We must therefore not
bury our talents in indifference or neg
lect, but use them to the best of our
ability and opportunity, so that we may
never be found slothful, but always
faithful
The Fatherhood of God is not a new
idea. We have pathological testimony
which warrants the belief that the an
Gent Aryans entertained the thought.
From the Old Testament we learn that
now and then Jewish seer rose to the
spiritual height of this conception.
Indeed, ''there was in the heart of
man from the very first feeling of in
completeness, of weakness, of depend
ence. =. We can explain it as lit
tie as we can explain why new born
child feels the cravings of hunger or of
thirst /; but it was so from the first, and
is even so now. Man knows not whence
he comes, and whittier he goes he
looks for guide, friend he wearies
for some one on whom he can rest he
wants something like a Father in
heaven. In addition to all the impress
sions he receives from the outer world,
there is stronger impulse from within;
a yearning for something that should
not come and go like everything else
that should be before and after, and
forever that should make man feel at
home in this strange universe" But
not until after many generations of
thinkers and workers had come upon
the stage of life, deifed the sun and
sky, and many lesser natural objects,
and even builded their affairs ito the
unknown God" was satisfactory So
luton offered to the searching mind of
man. Then for the first time in human
history, by Jesus of Nazareth, was the
Deity adequately presented in the doc