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

T"Loye worketh no i'll to his neighbor.
Therefore love is the fulfilling of the law
Romans xiii, 10.]
One of the charges that has long been
made against Universalism, is that It'll
an immoral doctrine-that it leads to
wrong and sinful living. l propose to
consider this charge in the present dis
course. and to show that the very oppo-
site is the case-that there is no doc
trine which shuts man up so thoroughly
to goodness as our own. In fact, &C
cording to our doctrine, there is 40 pos
sible escape from righteous life. Or
thodoxy makes it possible for person
to lead a sinful life, and yet by repent
ance at the moment of its close to enter
Immediately into the bliss of heaven
According to such teaching, it is not
necessary that one should be true ana
righteous for if he repents at the last,
he receives as great and enduring favors
as the one who has struggled faithfully
and honorably while here on the earth.
In other words, orthodoxy puts the
stress of its preaching not on living a
good life, but on repenting. Indeed,
we are told expressly sometimes that a
good life amounts to very little, and
that the chief thing to do is to get con-
verified. Now, of course, we believe IN
repentance and conversion, but they
by no means have that value which too
often is attached to them for they
alone cannot save man. Along with
them there must be morality, virtue.
and character.
1t will, perhaps, be well to state in
the first place, that there are those who
claim to be Universalists, who are not
such. They are not Universalists, be-
cause they do not understand the doc
trines held by US. They have a vague
idea of Universalism. They imagine
that it does not require much of any
body from moral and religious point
of view-that they can do as they choose
live as they please, and still all will
be well with them in the end. In fact,
thew incline to Universalism, because
they think there is something loose in
it which is quite adapted to the loose
life they desire to lead. They believe
in it because they think it is an easy
religion. But we are not to be held
accountable for the mistakes certain
ones make concerning our doctrines,
even though they do profess to be our
friends. In reality they are not our
friends, for when they do understand
what we teach, and that much is re-
quired of them from moral and relig-
ious point of view, they are the first to
leave. Christ says, mot every one that
saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven, but he that
doeth the will of my Father which is
in heaven" So is it with the Univers-
alist church, it is not every one who
claims to be Universalist, but he who
understands its principles and orders
his life in accordance with them, whom
it acknowledges as its own.
The central truth in Universalism is
that of the love of God. In all of our
religious thinking and acting, we try to
keep this fact in mind. God is a Father.
He deals with US as with children. 1t
is true he governs as but his govern
ment is paternal in its nature. Now is
it not true that the highest quality OF
government known among men, is that
of the paternal? The home is acknowl-
edged to be the chief training place OF
mankind. The parents have the power
to bring out of their children what is
best. as no other human instrumental
ity has. Take a mother, for instance.
How many things she can do for her
children that no one else can. No
one can lead them as she can.
Through the loving care she bestows
upon them, one after another, their
powers are drawn out. She teaches
them to love virtue, and to hate vice.
1t is in the midst of this atmosphere of
love that mankind are brought up to
the fullest and truest life. We have
doubtless heard the saying, "God could
not be everywhere, and therefore he
made mothers" 1t is most true that
the highest type of government is that
of the home. Love works no i'll to its
subjects. 1t does everything that is
best for them. 1t takes this love in the
heart. in order to see how to do the
thing that most needs to be done, and
on the other hand it is only to such
love as this that that which is hottest and
finest in humanity will respond. Now
this love of the home is only typical of
the love of the universe. The same
love which is round about us in our in
fancy and youth, continues with US
throughout all time. AT one time it
expresses itself through earthly parents,
then again through nature herself.
What creature is there who has heart
to feel, that can doubt that he who
placed him in this world, did so because
of his love for him. How beautiful is
this world How precious are its days,
and nights, and its several seasons