The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-03

our city, and now the evangelist has gone
and the results of his work have been
given to the public through the columns
of the daily press, it certainly will not
be out of place for us who have taken
no active part, to consider the effect
of Major Whites work upon the COM
munity, and the lesson that we who
cherish broader and more beautiful
faith can learn from the zeal and earn
estness of those engaged in it.
Personally l have not had the pleas
ure of cultivating an acquaintance with
Mr.. Whittle, but have attended from
time to time his meetings and have
read with interest his published utter
ances in the daily press. When the
fact is taken into consideration that
the creeds of the majority of churches
affirm the ruin of human nature
through the fall of Adam, the ever
lasting punishment of every soul that
death finds unrepentant, the impossi-
bility of pardon and forgiveness in any
other way than through the atoning
sacrifice made by Christ, and then notes
the reticence of the modern pulpit con-
corning these dogmas, and how clergy
men studiously avoid any illusions that
might make their hearers uncomfortable,
dealing out their damnation, if they
deal it out at all, in homeopathic doses,
while they aim to create an impression
that their churches are broad and pro-
gressive, and work equally as hard to
make the names, Universalism and Uni
tarianism, odious; when one considers
these things and the complete enslave-
ment of the Partialist pulpit by the
time-serving spirit, he is glad to find a
man like Major White, who has the
courage of his convictions man who
thoroughly believes in an endless hell
and breaches it with such earnestness
and plainness that the listener feels
that the spirit of John Calvin must be
lowering over him with the benediction
of approval.
1 have been exceedingly gratified
also to find that Major Whittle has re-
Trained from any abuse of those sects
that look with disfavor upon the sys-
tenn of theology he champions. Not
all evangelists are as courteous and fair
as Major Whittle. AS you all remem-
Der, we were compelled as church but
q year since to defend ourselves against
the attacks Of religious tramp, who
endeavored to make for himself little
capital by hurting at faith he could
not intellectually comprehend the stol-
en- blackguardisms of Jacob Knapp.
/ have no criticism to make upon the
revival considered as method of relig-
Gus awakening. We have revivals of
art and revlvals of letters; see no rea-
son why we should not have revivals of
religion. am glad to see the atten-
tion of the community called to those
things, which pertain to the spiritual
side of mans nature and the spiritual
life. L am glad to see movement in
augurated in the city that has for its
object the presentation of the claims Of
religion. All such awakenings benefit
our own church and as you may have
noticed, our congregations are never rs
large as during the continuance of re-
vival.
But as Brooke Herford said during
the Moody revival in Chicago, "All the
same the word of protest has to be
spoken. For it is one thing to waken
up mems souls, and another really to
help and save them" Substituting
for Mr.. Moody's name the name of Ma
jor White, Brooke Herford's words are
most applicable to the present revival:
~ believe Major Whittle is Weakening
up these souls to give them something
that will not satisfy, and that has no
saving in it. l believe he excites them
into moment of ecstatic glory, which
too soon they will find out is not the
salvation he persuades that it is, and
which will soon leave all but very few
in more helpless state than they we're
to begin with. | believe his whole
basis of appeal is dishonoring to God
and degrading to man, and one which,
if the churches suffer themselves to be
carried away by the vehement eager
ness with which he insists upon it,
would put back the whole tone of their
thought and work quarter Of CEN
tury. So, dare not hold from speak
ing. | dare not let the great bright
truths of Christ's own gospel which
have been coming into clearer view
throughout all churches, be clouded
over by this whirlwind of old WORKOUT,
mischievOus superstitions for the sake
Of the thunderbolt which is undouLt-
eddy at the heart Of it,"
In the minds of those who have care
fully watched the progress of the re-
vival the conviction has grown that
those who had it in charge did not re-
gard it in any way as work that was
supernatural. When tickets are print
ed and sent into all the homes; when
jealous sisters go from house to house
begging the people to attend; when
from day to day column or more of
the daily Journal is devoted to a report
of the meeting of the previous night;
when to excite the public curiosity an
nOuncements are made of meetings for