The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-12-18
A RE STATEMENT WHICH RE
LINQUISHES.

The solid and substantial progress
which is being made at the present day
toward more humane and consistent
views of Christian doctrine is now
evident on almost every hand. In the
pulpit and out of the pulpit, evidence
accumulates that the world is sweep
ing into a broader vision and more
rational and soul satisfying conception
Of religion, especially in regard to those
doctrines which were once preached
under such offensive forms and with
such terrible results on reverent and
thoughtful minds. The once popular
doctrines of orthodoxy are now under
going process of re-statement at the
hands of the more advanced and
thoughtful minds in that communion
with the idea of making them harmon
ize with the better convictions of the
Christian world, and giving the funda
mental conceptions of the old theology
new lease of life. In this process
many of the gross and carnal ideas Of
the past are voluntarily cast aside, and
the old doctrines presented in such
way that their advocates in the past
would hardly recognize them in the
new form, which they are made to as
sumo. Orthodoxy seeks in this way to
maintain its hold upon the future, and
is making its bid for following under
a substantially new regime. 1t can
only result in disappointment, for no
reinstatement of the once popular doc
trines, such as the original depravity
of human nature, the transmitted guilt
of Adam to his descendants, the trim
ity, vicarious atonement, and endless
hell punishment, can be so sugar coated
with sentiment, or be so made to harm
onize with reason, as to receive again
the suffrages of the emancipated intel
lect. In these various attempts to
restore the sway of ancient ideas, we
may trust mankind not to be i'm
posed upon by the devices of theologi-
ans. If the voice is that of Jacob, the
hands will be surely recognized as those
of Esau.
In this work of re- statement, now in
progress, it is, however, worth observ-
ing that the attempt is not always
made to return to what were once re-
garded as fundamental conceptions of
the old faith. Some venturesome and
original spirits are evidently willing to
follow where truth leads, regardless of
consequences. The result is that in at
tempting to recast old doctrines, the
very doctrines themselves are cast aside
as having outgrown their usefulness.
An example of this has just come to
hand in volume of sermons recently
issued by Rev. Julian X. Smyth. of
Boston, entitled Footprints of the
Saviour" One of the discourses is de-
voted to a consideration Of the sacrifice
of Christ, which, the author declares, is
"the touchstone of theology" And
yet Mr.. Smyth apparently foregoes the
old view of the mediation of Christ as
necessary to reconcile God to man, and
boldly plants himself on what he may
regard as new statement Of the media
ton, but which is actually a relinquish-
ment of the common doctrine Of the
orthodox church on this subject. Mr..
Smyth remarks, page 1874:
sit is not necessary to think of divine
wrath as standing over against (the)
moral baseness of the world. 1t is not
necessary to think of Christ IS a sep
arate person from God, trying by means
of prayers and the sight of his wounds
TO intercept the divine judgments ;
trying to make the Infinite One more
merciful than he is, as though he had
not heart to pity the sins and mis-
cries of grooming world ! Nowhere
in the Scriptures shall we find that
such mediator is necessary. John in
his old age looked with open vision
upon the bright scenery of heaven. He
saw no monarch sitting on throne,
with lowering brow nothing to tell of
divine wrath; but, as if to prove to
him the constancy and tenderness of
the divine love, though wounded by
men, denials and sins, he saw in the
very midst of the throne, what The
stern Deity of our theologies No
He saw in the midst of that throne "a
Lamb as il it had been SLAIN" as if,
says one, there was not in Palestine
calvery alone, but away in the heart
of God, where we cruelty him by our
disobedience everyday"
What we need, them" the preacher
continues, lis not an intercessor, in
"the sense that God needs interceding,
land as if, unless some one step in be-
"tween us and the divine Judge, our
''cause is lost. What we do need, and |
"what we have, is medium, chan
mel between the infinite projections of |
"God and the vileness of man, such as
twill transmit the life of the former
Into the weakness and sicknesses of the |
''latter; that God and man may not |
"dwell apart, but be brought at one:
imam lifted up by repentance, to abide in
"the wisdom and love of the Lord; the |
Lord living in the cleansed heart of
1.-THE man. And 1.-THE Lord said) if / |
"be lifted up, will draw all men unto
time That WAS the trua atOnement =