The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-08-25
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The necessity for doctrlnal teaching
in Universalist pulpits, and through
our press, has not ceased, nor will it,
so long as so prominent q paper as the
Journal and Messenger, Baptist, can
give utterance to the following misrep-
resentation.
In its issue for August we find the
following: "How, according to the more
basal Universalist theory, is it going to
benefit the dead if we pray for them?
They could not be forgiven while liv-
ing; the idea of vicarious sacrifice and
forgiving grace are Tepudiated; and if
sin cannot be RENTED in this life and
the redeemed sinner forgiven his
sins, in their entirety, how and on what
principle is he to be delivered from
the punishment Of them in the world
to Gomez"
The fallacy of this sentence must,
we are certain, be apparent to the
writer if he will take the trouble to
read it. We have put it down, strip.
ped of few redundant words, or
phrases, just as he wrote it. For his
instruction, but we confess to some
doubt as to whether the lesson will put
an end to such misrepresentation in
the future, but for his own instruction,
we assure this editor that we do not
repudiate ''forgiving grace 1t was a
stroke of genius in him to couple "vicar-
ious atonement," which we do repu-
date, with ''forgiving grace" which
we do not repudiate, and SO expect US
to gulp the whole dose. The hope of
the whole world, saint and sinner
alike, is in the ''forgiving grace of the
heavenly Father. There is no saliva
ton possible to any sinful soul, except
through penitence, and the "forgiving
grace" of the dear God This is ''basal
Universalism. =
Another stroke, equally skillful, is
in the manner in which he jumbles for
giveness of sins in this life, with deliv-
erance ''from the punishment of
them in the world to come" For his
instruction, again, we reply, sin can
"be remitted in this life, and the re-
deemed sinner forgiven his SINS" but
on no principle whatever can he ''be
delivered from the punishment of
them" in any world, either in this
world or in 1.-THE world to come" This
also is ''basal Universalism." Remis-
sion Of sins is one thing, if our brother
will please take notice, and deliverance
from the punishment, or as we prefer
to put it, the consequences, of sinful
action, is quite, is indeed, altogether,
another thing. They ought not to be
COMPOUNDED.
The ''forgiving grace" of the Father,
applied through penitence and reform
alton on the part of the sinner, is the
strong cable which Universalism casts
out to the sinner tossed on miry seas.
1t is cable which holds in all worlds.
If we fly into the uttermost parts of the
sea, if we ascend up into heaven, If we
make our bed in hell, remission of sins,
through penitence and "forgiving
grace" is yet possible. We never
cease to pray for impenitent sinners,
because we believe that sin can "be re-
mitted in this life." We continue to
pray for the impenitent dead, because
we believe that they can be delivered
from sin in the world to come. The
consequences of actual sinfulness are
Inevitable in all worlds, and cannot be
be RENTED. But sinful soul may be
redeemed from its sinfulness, and so
experience the blessedness of the "for-
giving grace" of God, in any world
Sin is wrong attitude of the soul
toward God, of the child toward the
Father. To change this attitude is to
feel the "forgiving grace''of the Father.
This also is ''basal Universal ISM"