The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-12-04

army to the attack. The battle of
Marathon was fought the Greeks won;
and Greece was saved from the retro
grading rule of the Persian dynasty, to
literature and art, and a growing civ
ilization.
Likewise, then, it may be said in ref
erence to institutions for whatever OBJ
ject established educational, charita-
BILE orreligious-they have been coursg-
eous and steadfast in their drest hours,
or have sunken away into insignificance
or oblivion.
Now, though uninviting and severe
misfortune may be, there is neverthe-
less much decided good to be derived
from it. Not only does it reveal char
acter and strength, but it also brings to
light faults and weaknesses that have
needed correcting, and which, perhaps,
may have been the means of producing
adverse conditions. Accordingly, i'm
provement and increased power are, by
its instrumentality, obtained and ev-
cry dark hour but serves to pave the
way to greater progress. So, to insert
the lines of Shakespeare
"Sweet are the uses of adversely,
Which, like toad. ugly and venomous,
Wears yet precious Jewel ia his head"
Or, to quote the stanza from Spencer's
FAIRY Queen -
$50 do the winds and thunder cleanse the air,
So working bees settle and purge the wine;
So lopp'd and pTuned trees do flourish fair;
Sodoth the fire the drossy gold refine"
1t is said of Disraeli-late Prime Min
lister of England-that when he made
his first speech in the House of Com
mons, his attempts at eloquence were
received with peal after peal of uncon-
trollable laughter. But in nowise dis
concerted, finishing his speech, Disraeli
gave utterance to these prophetic words:
Il have begun several times many
things, and have succeeded in them all
at last. I will sit down now, but the
time will come when you will hear me-"
And sure enough, as all know, the time
did come when the House laughed with
him instead of at him.
Of Richard Golden, it is said, that his
first speeches were miserable failures
but profitipg by them to detect his de-
fects, he finally became one of the most
effective of public speakers.
Again, the struggle for the re- estab-
lishment Of Universalism in the world,
as begun in this country,-and espe-
cially in those early days, the end of the
last century, and the beginning of this,
by those indomitable, courageous,
sanity men-John Murray, Hosea Bal
lou and the others of that devoted little
band, must, Of course, be readily called
to mind. Amidst the most disheart-
ening prospects, confronted by SEEM
ingly insurmountable difficulties, they
reverently and determinedly met and
overcame all which blessed results,
the Christian world, and more partic-
ularly our own land, are reaping while
our ''Faith'' still continues to leaven
the lump; and to that extent, that now
it not infrequently, though negatively,
preached from the pulpits of the
churches once so bitterly opposed to it.
How this then should serve to in
spire all who embrace this gladdening
Faith to support, advance and pro-
tect its every interest to their utmost.
Should at any time its outlook, for the
time being, seem darkened, in the i'm
mediate midst of us, then, instead of
being discouraged, is the opportunity
to manifest the sublime faith and life
sustaining hope it embodies and teach
es, and the consequent courage it in
spires, so truly calculated to urge one
on to noblest actions, and impart to one
genuine Christian strength, superabund
ant for all circumstances of life +; found
ed on the Fatherhood of God and the
brotherhood of the race. EndesvoriDg
to straightway detect wherein the cause
of an encountered misfortune may lie,
and seeking in Christian spirit to
remedy the defect, every true Univers-
alist should press toward with renewed
and increasing fortitude and spiritual
power, bearing aloft with a prouder,
steadier, and more confident hand, our
heaven-born standard, 'God is Love-"
Cognizant in the words of Burns that,
Though losses and crosses
Be lessons right severe,
There's wit there, you'll get there,
You'll find no other where"
There now remains, however, another
and most important application of the
text to be considered: 1t is in refer
ence to those Universities which come
upon one in the forms of suffering and
sorrow. And, on such occasions, how
invariably does one reveal ones condi-
tion of character whether it be weak
or strong. Are we in suffering, or has
death deprived US Of those we love, and
are we bowed down with untold sOr-
row How then under such circum-
stances do we bear our ailments and
heartaches ? Do we feel weak and faint;
and see nothing but gloom and despair,
i Il.