The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-08-07

and their relations and duties TO cur
Creator. And whenever and wherever
mankind fulfill these duties to God and
men, then they are saved. Hence Pauls
wise definition THE gospel is the
power of God unto salvation to every
one that believeth." The gospel, there
fore. is the most efficient instrument in
converting and saving the human race.
Moreover, the gospel is system OF
eternal truth. The revelator ''saw an
Other angel fy in the midst of heaven,
having the everlasting gospel to preach
unto them that dwell on the earth"
40 Peter iec- ares res = s. But the word of
Tsshe LORD a1ureth forever. And this is
the word whicbby the gospel is preach
ed unto you" 1t is plain, therefore,
that the gospel is a system of truth
which will endure forever 1t is the
most efficient instrument of salvation.
Is there any moral reason why 1t should
not be efficient forever Pm all worlds
as well as in this? During eighteen
hundred years it has been offered to
only a small fraction of the human race
in this world. Millions of the imma-
ture. even in Christian nations, go out
of life in such feeble and immature
state that they could not possibly ap-
pIeciate the gospel if offered to them.
The gospel comes to others under eX-
cessively unfavorable conditions. One
might as we'll ask man to eat his din
ner while guiding life-boat among
the rocks and whirlpools of dangerous
rapids, as to ask some people who are
about crazed with the ambitions and
turmoils of life, to accept the gospel.
1t is easy to look on and say that they
should halt and repent. But it is not
in the nature of things that they should
do SO. Besides, men are taken from life
at such diverse points of responsibility
some having been accountable for
only an hour, others for a week,
month or year; others, again, for ten
wears, for a score, or for two or three
score of years-so that we are forced to
confess that all mankind in this world
receive the offers of the gospel under
vastly UNEQUAL conditions for its accept
arce. And if the gospel is everlasting,
what merciful objection can be brought
against its being offered to the urcon-'
verted in the other life as well as in
this? And if the gospel is everlasting,
may we suppose that it has no kindly
and blessed mission to men beyond the
or1er ana rragmepraTy lire OF rre pres !
pnt. when only such small fractions OF
the race have had access to it? L must
confess that it would stagger our con-
fdence in the wisdom and goodness OF
the Creator, did he presume to attack
SO universal and long enduring NAL
adv as sin with such brief and lnetfi-
cient use of an omnipotent instrument
alitv. There can therefore be no moral
objection to the mission of the gospel
in the after life. Nay, equal mercy and
Justice to the great family of the Fa-
tber would seem to urge the conviction
that shis system of eternal truth will
be perpetually operative so long as
there is occasion for its use.
Let us, therefore, put the direct in
1uiry: Has the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ a mission to mankind at-
ter they are dead? And the Bible an
swers plainly, Yes. st. Peter wrote IN
his message positively and unqualified
" thus: For, for this cause was the
rospel preached also to them that are
dead" What has been, may be again.
The gospel twas preached to them that
are dead.n How, then, may it not be
true that it is now preached to the dead
and may hereafter be preached to themE
1t is an everlasting gospel. Why not,
then, gospel practically to be preached
forever
Or. does one say that the gospel was
preached to the spiritually dead only, |
aud not to the physically dead? But |
Peters language does not allow us to
s. interpret his famous statement
For. for this cause was the gospel |
preached also to them that are dead,
that they also might be judged accord |
ING to men in the flesh" Here is an
implied antithesis which bOthers our |
logic but enlarges our hope. To speak
Of dead men in contrast with men : in |
tie flesh. implies that the dead ones
are out Of the flesh And we cannot !
shake off the grip Of this logic.
But Peter has given us also definite
example Of the preaching of the gospel
to people who had been dead many and
many generations. In another place lie
SAYS: For Christ being put to
death in the flesh. but quickened by the
Spirit, by which also he went and
preached unto the spirits in prison,
which sometime were disobedient
when once the loDg-sufferipg Of God
waited in the days Of Ncah.' This is
assuredly a specific instance Of the
preaching of the gospel to men out of
the flesh. Even so great a modern au-
tnorlty as DR.. E. c Smyth, co editor Of
the 1udOrer Reir,r. has this to say Of