The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-09-25


eousness that they have done; not for
their purity of natures or good inten-
tions, or heavenward aspirations, but
because they are lost-far away from
home and very far away from God.
Some say that there is not promise in
the Bible to the sinner. Be this as it
may, there is not saint but what is
made out of this material; and it is this
very class that Christ came to save.
" He came not to call the righteous, but
sinners, to repentance.
The promise is to you and to your
children, and to all that are afar off,"
TASK of me and will give the heather
and the uttermost parts Of the earth for
thy possession" In the next place we
contend that while good works can't
buy the favor of God, there are good
and valued reasons why they should be
practised. And the apostle assures us
that it is the legitimate tendency of
this doctrine of grace to produce them;
that they flow from it just as the stream
fl )ws from the fountain. "The grace of
God that bringeth salvation to all men
hath appeared, teaching the denying of
all ungodliness.
Good works are the natural language
of virtue; and when they are practiced
they go to strengthen those attainments
from whence virtue proceeds. Here is
man that has natural faculty for
some mechanical enterprise. This facul-
ty is developed and made useful to the
world by constant exercise. Practice
to him is what good works are to the
Christian; they are means of develop
ment. If man has anger and wants
to develop it, let him express it; let him
translate it into conduct; and the
oftener the surer the result.
Men sometimes say that they swear
to relieve themselves. If they could get
everlasting life, permanent cure, 1
should feel thankful; but the trouble is
the more they seek relief, the more
they want it. 1t is law that when
you incarnate any thought or feeling
into deeds, you strengthen the faculty
from whence they proceed. If a selfish
man wants to be generous let him carry
himself as though this was the ele-
ment of his nature, and in time he will
develop the principle.
Again, if you have enemies carry
yourself before them as If they were
friends. Meet them with kindness and
civility, and if you live long on the
earth you will die without an enemy in
the world. Never give expression to
evil feelings; when you are angry hold
your peace; when you are filed with
strong, tempestuous passions, give them
no vent; let no sparks issue from the
chimney; smother them.
On the other hand, if you want to
give development to noble feelings and
principles, translate them into conduct,
and you will succeed. Labor in the
sphere in which it is proper to move; it
may be little difficult at first, but
practice will make perfect. Restrain
the evil; cultivateet those virtues and
graces that shall give beauty and per-
lection to manhood, and in the end
you will triumph.
Again, good works are profitable be-
cause they carry their own reward.
They give comfort and security to the
mind, they irradiate our passage from
the cradle to the grave, they inspire
the pleasing reflection that the world
is the wiser and better for our living.
They give that employment to the
mind that carries out the true intent of
existence. But when 1 say that good
deeds carry their own reward dom It
mean that this is apparent in every in
dividual act. We must take the whole
life together. We say there is pleas
ure in the acquisition of knowledge.
Suppose we should test this by learn
ing single chapter or verse. Such a
test would amount to nothing. The
fact is that the enjoyment of knowl-
edge does not arise from the first unit
or the second. But it is the general
effect of the whole diffused from day to
day and from year to year.
What we eat as food is reproduced in
every organ and function of the sys-
tenn. You put it in the brillancy of
the eye, in the warmth of the body,
and the increased activity and strength
of all the faculties. So knowledge
and truth and every form of good
works diffuse their blessings through
every period of life. In keeping God s
commandments there is great reward
Again good deeds are means of i'm
parting happiness to others, and there
by we promote our own. AS it is more
blessed to give than receive, he who
gives the most literally is blessed above
all others. Cast thy bread upon the
waters and after many days thou shalt
find it again. The traveller who was
left wounded and bleeding, was blessed
by the ministration of the good Samari-
tan. But there came down upon the
soul of the good Samaritan far richer
blessing, arising from the Consciousness
of duty done. The man that goes