The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-11-20
THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF
CHRIST.


The religion of Jesus brings the soul
into a consciousness of it's relation to
God as his child, so that its being is
united in love to him. The truth of
Christ is the highest form of religious
truth; for nothing is greater for us to
know than the sublime fact that we are
the offspring of God, and as such, par
takers of his immortal nature. This
high truth Jesus illustrated for he as
sumed it as the basis of his teaching
and action. He called God his Father,
prayed to him as to his Father, COM
muned with him as with his Father,
and subjected his will, as the will of a
son, to the will of his Father.
Lest his pupils might fall into the
error of surmising that this relation of
their Master to God was an exclusive,
or exceptional relation, he tells them
that God is their Father as we'll as his.
He says to weeping Mary at the sepul-
chre, go to my brethren, and say unto
them, l ascend unto my Father, and
your Father, and to my God and your
God"
This central truth of Christ-this
high relation of being-was made prac-
teal in Jesus, and enforced by him
upon his followers as the great princi-
pie to be practiced by them also. Jesus
undertook to so illustrate and enforce
this truth before men that the world
should learn it, and thereby come into
that right and happy state of life for
which intelligent beings are evidently
designed. Moreover he was so con-
scious Of the Fathers presence with
him, and Of the energy of the Father
moving him, that he never doubted the
ultimate success of his undertaking.
He expected, to be sure, that but few
would receive his truth at first. He
counted on the opposition of the world
at the outset, and looked for persecu-
ton and death, both for himself and his
followers, as the reward which the men
of that age would bestow upon them
for telling the truth, and for calling
upon the world to heed it, to practice
it, and be saved. Nevertheless, his
confidence was mistaken; with the
outward look of things so much against
him, he still utters the prophecy that
he will succeed in drawing all men to
him.
The truth that God is the Father of
all, the truth that man is brother to
man universally, the truth of God in
man and man in God is to work its way
in the mind of humanity, through the
ages, till it is clearly seen and practi-
,ally owned; till the great and holy
Teacher 'shall see of the travail of his
soul and be satisfied" This prophecy
If Jesus is the gospel itself-the verita-
ole good news of Christ. 1t is the
yrandest and best news, too, that the
mind can imagine or the heart desire.
We must therefore adhere to Christ;
we can do no otherwise. There is no
one else to whom we can go. The words
Of eternal life are spoken, illustrated
and enforced by no other as they are
here uttered, illustrated and enforced,
The fatherhood of God to all human
ty, the immortal sonship of man to
God, the universal brotherhood of souls,
md the final establishment of their
and practice in all lives, are
The ideas which constitute the gospel of
Christine ideas which cannot be ex-
,eeded by any teaching of saint or sage
n any land or time.
True, we discard and reject many
notions that have long been associated
n the world with the name of Christ
put for this our adherence to Christ
himself is none the less, but all the
more genuine as we lay hold on and
appropriate the pure substance-the
.eal gospel Invested of the Pagan and
accretions that have grown
around it. We give our thought and
leart to this reality of Christ-this I'M
ldulterated gospel-that seeing its ex-
,ellence we may imbibe its spirit, and
yrow in divine affection, and in all
light mindedness, so as to become in
character sons and daughters of God,
Is we are in nature, with the meek and
owly Teacher for our example, and
With the spirit that was in him, through
he mediation of our minds and the
prayers of our hearts, assisting US.
In Christ, as he truly is, we have the
help that we need for our complete re-
igious instruction; the help that brings
Is to right knowledge, and hence the
enjoyment of God; the help that en-
sbles us to turn from the sel6shness of
,ur lower being, with all the misery of
,oul associated Herewith, to the spirit
lality of our higher being, with all the
happiness that goes with the same per