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

ing OF rare genius ana q Cultured
mind. AS | looked at his face, cut in
stone, could plainly see intimations OF
something great and good. Such a
character is sure to live, though his
mortality turns dust through his
deeds he is seen and admired. 1t is
cheering to mediate by his grave, for
it savors not of death but Immortality.
The ivy growing over his ashes is en-
blematical of his expanding mind in
that realm, where it is not fashioning
in plastic clay and cutting from hardest
stone, but molding in the spiritual and
developing the imperishable that will
be beautiful in the celestial light and
in the building of God.
In another cemetery in the south
ern part of the city, found the grave
OF Neander, who has been christened
"The father of church history" There
is no display here. The resting place
is properly marked by stone and epi-
taph. Here l recalled how greatness
had sprung from the humblest begin
ming, and in spite of physical hindrance,
had become renowned. His aim seemed
to be to show how, through the Chris
tian church, as a general and natural
process, divine force was working its
way into the life of the human race,
and to lead the rationalistic minds OF
Germany back to Christianity, without
throwing them into the arms of Ro-
mani9m, as the romantic school had
done. He struck heavy blows against
agnOsticism and the infdelity of Strauss.
With enormous learning and striking
simplicity of character, at sixty years
of age he was translated from the seen
to the unseen, that he might live in
heaven as we'll as in earth.
Another place of sacred memory
which visited was Trinity Church; not
that the building is grand or beautiful,
but because formerly Schleiermacher
preached in it, really the greatest Prot
estant preacher of Germany since the
period of the Reformation, He was
small in stature, somewhat deformed,
yet an eloquent religious teacher, who
would reach the understanding through
the heart, and the heart through the
understanding. He investigated the
nature of religion more profoundly than
any before him. He taught that all
religions are historic and point to some
thing higher than man. He understood
Christianity to be unique, and the high
est expression of Infinite Love, mas
much as in it is found the reconcilia-
tion of man to God, and therefore the
very essence of religion itself. His
name is spoken with love and reverence
by those who worship in that church,
though he passed from earth in 1884.
His last act. few minutes before his
death, was to administer the Lords
Supper to his family, saying, SIN this
love and communion of souls, we are
and shall be undivided" AS we meet
with such character and trusting
soul, how faith is strengthened, and
the heart filed with cheer. No such
help comes from skepticism, or agnos-
ticism. Were it not for the bright
lights referred to, and others of kindred
nature, Germany would not be the land
she is, nor Berlin one of the most cul-
tured cities. German rationalism and
worldlyism have done much to tear
down the country and derange minds.
But since right Is more mighty than
wrong, truth than error, virtue than
vice, we can see how the noble souls are
to triumph over the ignoble. The fact
is significant that the greatest pleasure
and satisfaction are experienced in
standing by the graves of sainted Chris
tians, in reading the books they wrote,
in walking paths they trod, and observ-
ing objects they saw. If there were
not an essence in Christianity, and a
completeness, such as is not found in
any other form of religion, this would
not be the case. The bright spots in
the cities of the dead are those of Chris
tians. Intellect alone has never built
any grand structures for immortality.
1t takes mind and heart to construct
theimperishable. Thus Christ wrought,
and so with all who have been his earn
est disciples. Beautiful is written over
the tombs of those who have fallen in
the Christian warfare, and their mem
cries are blessed.