The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-11-20
The First Conference.

Tomorrow | go down to Santa Ana
where it is proposed to hold our first con-
ference, as a body of ministers, in this
State. The invitation was sent ont nv
Rev. S. L. Roripaugh, pastor of the Uni
versalist society at that place. It will
continue over Thursday. Universalists
coming to California will find our slatcb-
string" out at Pasadena.
Who is it that Speaks, God, or Devil!
A Presbyterian minister explained last
Sunday the cause why some are saved
and others lost, while expounding the text:
"What / do thou knowest not now; bnt
thou shalt know hereafter" John xiii.
| u Said he: "Ihe reason why some
are lost III hell eternally is because they
refuse to take Gods word unless they can
understand it, and know the reason for
his commands. The reason why Others
! are saved in heaven is because they take
the word OF God without question. and
without attempting to understand the
reason therefor"
Dld 1t ever occur to the supporters of
such doctrine that a person might noseiblv
mistake the voice and character Of the
speaker, if he asks no explanation, or no
reason why he should believe and obey?
10 illustrate this, let us suppose that
some dark night l hear person talking
who says he is teaching out of book
written by authority from God: tbus
"Ihere is only one living and true God"
"But Jesus Christ is both man and God
and equal with the very God" "Also.
the Holy Ghost is God, and co-eoual
with the Father and with the SON.
Thus, three distinct persons constitute
one God" Cali the thousands of mill
IONS OF Adams posterity in Justice are
worthy of endless damnation, because
Adam sinned; and would have been TINS
damned, if Christ had not been slain"
"God from all eternity hath forordained
Whatsoever comes to pass" "God loves
his children better than earthly parents
love theirs, and his mercy endureth for
ever; and yet he hath of his own good
pleasure elected some to everlasting life
and passed by the others and doomed
them to everlasting death, and yet all
this without any foresight offaith, or good
works, or anything good whatsoever. in
the creature saved"
Devil Worship
And he now commands you and me
to fall down and worship him on pain Of
being delivered over to the tormentors IN
suffer the agonies of the damned. dav
and night, throughout the s6dless aoaa
of eternity. "Fall downtown upon your
knees" he continues, cor the thunder
bolts of his wrath shall smite thee. and
sink thee to the fires and anguish of an
interminable hell.'
In such case, would it not be Just per-
mlssible for reasonable creature IN
pause and ask: "Who art thou that speak
est? God, or devil? But if, on the contra
ry, some should PROSTATE themselves and
sue for favor to such a being. cryine.
"Spare me! 0 spare even me, a vile worm
OF the dustF' which of their characteris-
tics would be the greater, cowardice
knavery or hypocrisy? Would there be
any characteristics of a Christian in such
craven heart? If man is to love and
worship truly, he must know what and
why he worships.
Let others do as they may, as for me, 1
do not propose that Augustine, LoyoIa,
Calvin nor Edwards, shall juggle the
name devil and call him Jehovah. and
then bid me fall down and worslip him:
even if they do promise all the kingdoms
of earth and heaven as the reward. They
lie who make such promises, for they
were never authorized to make them. It
is devil worship they teach, not the wor-
ship of God. The Kingdoms are for the
meek, the merciful, the peacemakers, tie
pure in heart, the hungerers after right.
the humble in spirit and not for the big
oted Pharlsee, or cringing sycophant.
AprOpos of the Above.
1t is related of the eccentric Methodist
preacher, Peter Cartwright, that on one
occasion a certain blacksmith undertook
the task Of driving him from the neigh
borhood by giving him a whipping. But
iu place of the blacksmith whipping the
preacher, the preacher whipped the
blacksmith most soundly, when he had
! been wantonly assaulted. However, be-
| fore the reverend brother let his assailant
up he thought it best that they should
"unite in prayer" over the matter.
"Now," said the preacher, relaxing his
giant grasp upon the blacksmiths S throat,
"say after me, Our Father who art in
heaven pause. Say it, say, OF
I'll wiring your neck till your eyes pop
out" "Our Father who art in heaven"
gasped the blacksmith. Aud SO on to
the end the preacher leading and the
blacksmith repeating, until the final
amen. At the end of this interview
Cartwright had converted his man from
ever attempting TO whip another Metho-
DIST minister, who was honestly minding
his own business.
But how many such prayers, made
under the terror of torture would il have
taken to convert the blacksmith 10 a real
Christian? Just as many no more nor