The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-08-28

y
tons. They suffer when they are con-
fident that death takes their beloved
more nearly to the throne of love and
joy, though they surely hope soon to
meet them there. Would such hearts
in their own pleasure be insensible to
an endless parting, without sympathy
for those once tenderly loved and nur-
tured, then wailing in hopeless bitter
ness and sorrowp 1t is either human
selfshness or human bigotry which so
delivers itself. They libel themselves
who thus talk Of the possible failure of
love. What The tender affection of
another, awakened by the helplessness,
the playfulness, the smiles, the tears,
the pains of her babe, ever cool to stony
indifference, frozen by her own joy
Then demons enter and enjoy heaven
then saints vie with men of the world
in intense selfshness then men see
the Lord without holiness, for what is
holiness but perfect love Of God and
perfect love Of all mankind?
And this leads to the thought that
Christian truth induces care and SYM
pathy, not only for those especially
loved on earth, but for all men. He
who is indifferent to their sufferings is
Indifferent to the gospel Whatever he
processes, he who would ever be care
less whether any man or woman who
lives endures hopeless agonies is not
disciple of Christ, who wept over the
national calamity of his people, and
even in sympathy with the brief sorrow
OF his friends. Why, even the rich man
in the parable who was in hades was
thoughtful of those whom he had left
behind, and besought a message of
warning to his countrymen, and yet it
is supposed that those in Abraham's
bosom will be reckless of the fate of
the best beloved. No, my friends, the
problem of comfort is not so easily
solved in view of popular ideas. The
heart demands what divine justice and
mercy will do with the souls left to
their award. Will they forever consign
to endless burnings, or will they wisely,
perhaps by slow degrees, but surely,
lead to purity and endless peace
This is the alternative question
fraught with deepest interest to the
bereaved heart. What answer is given
by the creeds, which, notwithstanding
their insufficiency, men most revere
We have already suggested. 1t is either,
in most adult cases, positive cruelty,
or an ignorance which may lull but can
not satisfy. Universalism has its word
for the mourner; God is the father of
every soul of that which is wayward
and perverse as we'll as that which is
faithful and obedient. His justice
overlooks no error Of thought or of
spirit or of life. His law searches out
the most intimate emotion of man and
measures out just punishment by rule
more exact than that of human rulers.
So long as men sin, and their souls are
alien from divine holiness, they need
fully suffer divine Christening. Butthe
mercy of God operates through his jus-
tice to work out a benefcent and not
wicked end. Divine discipline tends
to the correction of the evil it Furnishes.
Mercy does not thwart justice it takes
up the work of almighty goodness
where justice leaves it ard pushes it
on to triumphant success. 1t finally,
through the love of Christ, will win ev-
cry soul to heaven, purified, gloriied,
sanctified. Here is the consolation in
Christ, the exceeding comfort of the
Holy Spirit. If Universalism be true,
there is no devil that shall not be con-
quered, no hell which shall not be ami
hilated, no sin which shall not be wash
ed away, no evil which shall not be
obliterated, no sorrow which shall not
be cured, no tears, no pain, no signing,
no imperfection, no death, which shall
not pass away. "Hallelujah for the
Lord God omnipotent reigneth!" There
is no bereavement for which this great
faith of the triumphant success of Om-
nipOtent Love has not its word of COM
fort. Is there no use in preaching it
III. Universalism, sincerely believ-
ed, is an all efficient dissuasive from
sin. 1t may seem strange, to those
whose ideas of our faith were obtained
| from its enemies, that l should make
this claim for it. 1t has so long been
represented to be of pernicious tenden-
cy, to open the flood gates of immoral
| ity, to remove all restraint from vice,
that the wonder is how men who think
so are so ready to have social or bust
ness fellowship with any who profess
it. The wonder is that stranger will
ever venture to set foot among us. 1t
is certain that if the faith has such
baleful tendencies, it does not show
them in those who are faithful to it.
It's receivers have not always been be-
levers, and it has its black sheep, like
other fiOcks, to mourn. There are none
perfect among us. The powers of av-
arice and consciousness and pride con-
test among US, as in other churches, the