The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-11-06
THE AKRON CONVENTION.


moving on to the possession of sys-
TEN, a policy, and Christian sentiment,
worthy of the advanced and hopeful
doctrines which we enjoy.
There were two prominent features
of this annual gathering which show
the drift Of thought in our body. The
first was the Enthusiastically Christian
tone of the gathering. The Universal
ist church is hospitable to free and
honest thinking. 1t cultivates large
liberty in its preachers and in its lay
men. 1t sympathizes with all advances
in the direction of a broader and more
loving Interpretation of Christianity.
But it recognizes the limits beyond
which fellowship becomes discord, and
the clasp of another's hand paralyzes
your own. 1t does not make it's inter-
probation of Christianity so broad as to
exclude from it all that is distinctively
Christian. 1t does not seek liberality
so generous as to welcome to its house
the enemies who would destroy the
peace of that house. The Universalist
church is built on Christ, is loyal to
Christ, believes on Christ, and works
for, through, and unto Christ. And SO
all its advances are not away from the
center of Christian thought and SYM
pathy, out into realm where the
free religionist and the agnostic move
through chill and dreary fogs into
desert-land of negations. Its sympa-
thies and its prayers are all with the
historic church of Christ, as that church
struggles toward fuller life in the
spirit Of the Lord. And that senti-
ment was never more marked than it
was in the assembly just held, in every
service and every utterance, from the
manly and stirring sermon, to the most
modest utterances of the prayer meet
ing.
Moreover, it was refreshing to those
of us who have labored and prayed for
larger baptism Of the missionary
spirit to see the unmistakable signs of
its growth and increasing strength.
1t has been a reproach against us, of
which those unfriendly to the faith
have not been slow to avail themselves,
that we who believe so much in the sal
walton of men from their sins, do so
little toward accomplishing that saliva
ton. Where are your missions ?''
they say "Whom are you trying to
reach with the gospel What share
are you taking in the evangelization of
the world ?" "How many home mis-
sionaries have you ?'' 'How many in
foreign lands ?" These are common
questions; and to some of US they seem
like taunts. Thank God, the Akron
Convention has put it in our power to
make answer, and to say, 1--WE have
voted to take up the work of foreign
missions, and have appointed our COM
mittee to forward the work. We will
no longer lag behind the Church, but we,
too, will grid on our armor, and go
marching along" And for general
missionary work, we are doing it stead
lily, according to the measure of our
ability.
And that ability is increasing. The
careful figures Of our Secretary made
an unbroken showing of gains,-gains
in numbers, gains in resources, gains in
the tokens of religious life. 1t was
pleasant record which was read at
Akron, setting forth the state of the
Church and its work for the past year.
Nine new parishes, $50 new families,
/ 500 new Sunday school scholars, 1000 |
new church members, $21O 900 increase
in church property, $780, 900 increase in
paid for current expenses
that is the gain of single year. Our |
Church never had better report. 1t |
never ranked higher in point of the
work done, and the quality of that |
work. We are growing steadily, health
lily, from the roots up, and all we need
is the faith and the courage warranted
by our condition to raise us to a broader |
usefulness and a higher rank among
the sects.
There is one item in that report which |
more than any other tells the character
Of this growth we are making, and
prophesies its permanence. 1t is the
one which tells of the 1000 church
members added in this single year. A
Church no larger than ours, which, in
single year, adds to it's membership of
33 900, new enrolment of nearly
per cent has evidently come into the
world to stay and to increase. That
increase is the fruit of the normal re-
ligious life of our Church. 1t is not the
result of any spasmodic revival. 1t
does not represent any extraordinary
or irregular agency or effort. 1t is the
vigorous growth of religious life
within our lines which increases every
year, and binds those whom we win in
closer relations to our Church. That is
the most cheering word which has ever
come to us from the work of our Church.
Thank God for it and take new courage.
And so the report which the churches